I am sooo sorry. Guys, I swear I hadn't realized it's been so long since my last update! I have no excuse except that I lost track of time and school has been hectic. Words cannot explain how sorry I am! No, really; please don't give up on this story because it has a bad author.

I stared at the paper.

And stared some more.

I couldn't believe it. It couldn't be true. Percy couldn't love me. Why we even got along evaded all possible logic. Love? Impossible. Yet again…we were friends, weren't we? We were used to beating the odds.

But really, Annabeth, I chastised myself. The word had a thousand different connotations. Love didn't necessarily mean romantic. Then the worst thought came to my mind. I wanted to start crying right there for even thinking he could have meant it like that. Of course he only loved me like a sister!

I'd been hoping for a long time that there was a chance we could someday be…

Never mind.

I tried to keep my blush to a minimum, and not show the embarrassment I felt for even thinking silly stuff like that. He'd been cursed into an animal, for the gods' sakes! Of course he was looking for some comfort.

Percy was staring at me intensely and expectantly, waiting for me to react in some way.

Chiron had backed up a bit to give us some privacy, and I turned to him now, not daring to meet Percy's eyes. I wouldn't be able to keep myself together.

"So if I supposedly have the answer, how am I supposed to know what it is?" I asked Chiron.

"Child, I wish I had an answer for you, but-"

"But you don't."

He just gave me a sympathetic look. "I suggest you both stay here tonight. Percy for obvious reasons, and Annabeth, no offence dear, but you are not quite in your senses right now. We wouldn't want any of your concerned siblings asking any questions." Chiron reasoned.

Percy really had no choice, but I did. No way did I want to stay here and further endure my humiliation, but Chiron did have a point. I was a wreck, and my siblings were smart. We didn't want them jumping to conclusions.

So warily I just nodded my head. I began to climb the stairs with Percy hesitating, probably wondering why I hadn't said anything about his most recent note.

I was about half way up the stairs when Chiron cleared his throat and said, " Oh, and I forgot to mention, there is only one room available. I know you will not mind sharing for a short time?"

I guess Chiron figured since Percy is currently no longer human, we definitely wouldn't be doing…anything.

Okay, Annabeth, I thought bitingly, gross.

"Uh—no, no, that's…that's fine." I managed.

"Very well, goodnight, children."

"Night." I mumbled and Percy barked.

Percy followed me upstairs. When we got into the room, I looked at the large bed for a moment, then sat on the edge.

Percy waited at the door and had a hurt look in his eyes.

Confused I asked, "Are you coming in?" It was barely above a whisper.

There was a strange look in his eye, and then he came in and headed to the floor at the end of the bed.

"Goodnight, Percy. I'll figure out what the answer is. I promise."

He looked at me as if trying to figure something out then tilted his head to the side and grunted.

"What?" I asked after searching his eyes to see if I could figure out what he was asking.

He shook his head almost regretfully and grunted again, probably saying goodnight.

"Percy?"

His head whipped around so fast I was worried he might have given himself whiplash.

"You don't have to sleep on the floor. The bed's….well, there's plenty of room, you know."

He looked as though he was contemplating something, then he gave what looked like a forced half smile and shook his head.

I looked down and nodded my head. I understood. He probably didn't want to lead me on or something, since the incident earlier. I was hopping maybe he didn't catch onto it, but I guess he did.

He wined and came over nuzzled my hand for a minute, which made me feel a little better. He then lay on the ground right next to the side of the bed I was lying on.

I gave him a small smile, which I think he returned, and as soon as I closed my eyes, I was out.

I was in the same room in the Big House as I was when I went to sleep, but Percy was gone.

I wasn't alone, though. Hecate stood in the windowsill on the other side of the room.

"Daughter of Athena, your mother's protection barrier is growing weaker. I can visit you in dreams now, and soon, I will be able to do whatever I want to you."

I just sat there in bed, terrified.

Why couldn't I wake up?

"Soon, I will do to you what you did to me. And once you're out of the picture, the son of Poseidon will have no way to return to his true form. It's a shame, really; he is a very good-looking boy. Wouldn't you agree, Wise girl?" She said the last part tauntingly, and my rage bubbled over.

"You leave him out of this! This is between me and you. You're just too much of a coward to come straight for me." I knew this wasn't true and I was really crossing a line here that could get me killed, but it made me so angry that she went after Percy for something that I did.

Hecate jumped into the room and walked over. She was inches away from me. My breathing stopped and all I could think was that this was it. She was going to kill me now.

But she didn't kill me. She just moved her hand to the side in a sweeping motion, and I suddenly felt myself being slammed through the plaster wall, and falling down the hard wood floor stairs. I finally hit the concrete floor of the bottom level of the Big House with a painful thud.

This was a dream. I don't know why she was able to do that, or why it felt so damn real. I couldn't see straight, my vision was blurry, and my stomach hurt so bad. Maybe my ribs…?

All I knew at the moment was that Hecate was slowly walking down the stairs and I couldn't do anything but cough up a bit of blood.

All of a sudden, Percy, human Percy, threw Riptide at Hecate and she screamed, "This is not over, you little-" And then she was gone in puff of black smoke.

Percy ran to me and kneeled down by me.

"Annabeth," He put his hand on my cheek.

"I'm fine, Percy. It's just a dream. That's how you're human right now."

He just nodded his head.

"She's getting stronger though. I need to figure out what the answer is to bringing you back to your normal self before she regains her full strength or else I might not get the chance to save you."

"Annabeth, you have all the time you need. She isn't going to touch you. I promise."

"You can't promise something like that, Percy. Look what she's already done to you for interfering. I can't let her hurt you anymore. Especially not because of me."

Percy shook his head. "No, she didn't do it because of you. None of this is your fault, Annabeth. But I do promise that. I don't care what you say; I'm not letting her touch you. Why is it so difficult for you to get it? I care about you." He looked so sincere and innocent, I almost believed that there was still a chance he could like me.

"Because I'm like your sister, right?" I asked bitterly, remembering his note.

He seemed taken aback, "What? No. That'd be really weird. No, I—" He stopped because everything became hazy.

"What's going on?" He asked. He looked cute when confused.

"We're waking up."

"Wait, Annabeth, I've got to tell you something!"

"Why can't you tell me when we wake up, Seaweed Brain?"

"Because it's not the same! I already did but you took it the wrong way. I have to tell you…at least while I'm human."

"Okay," I frowned, "Then tell me."

Then all of a sudden I coughed up more blood. Percy seemed concerned.

"Annabeth, you're really hurt. What if this is stronger than just a dream?"

I was about to ask what he meant when I began fading.

"Annabeth!" Percy yelled desperately after me.

"You can tell me whenever, Percy. I'm not going anywhere."

"Annabeth? Annabeth. Child, what happened to you?" Chiron asked worriedly.

I sat up and was about to ask him what he meant. Did he know about the dream? Then there was a sharp aching in my abdomen. I screamed out in pain and as soon as I did, Percy, to my dismay, back to being a wolf, came racing down to me.

This is what Percy had meant about the dream being stronger. I was no longer in the room, but at the bottom of the stairs. I looked up to the room Percy and I had been in the night before and saw an Annabeth-sized hole in the plaster wall.

Oh my gods, whatever was happening to me in my dream was happening to my body outside my dream. Hecate really was getting stronger. This was not good.

She could have killed me last night had Percy not come in. But she could kill me now, in my dream, every night. I wasn't safe anymore. I had to save Percy before she got to me. If I died, Percy would be stuck like this forever.

He came over and hugged me. Well, you know, as much as a wolf can hug.

I wrapped my arms around his furry neck and held on tight, even though it hurt.

As I held on to my best friend, I thought of what he had said in my dream. He had said that he had something important to tell me. He said he had told me before but I took it the wrong way. He also said that it wasn't how he meant it when I said I was like his sister. What had he meant?

There was no way he had meant that he really loved me, was there?

I didn't know, (and naturally, I was vexed with not knowing), but I would just have to wait until Percy was back to normal. That was more motivation, as if there wasn't enough already, to get him back as soon as possible.

When I finally pulled away, I could read the look in his eye instantly. 'I'm glad you're okay, and this won't happen again. She will have to go through me first,' or something along those lines.

Chiron came back in with Jason, son of Apollo. He was new, and Percy didn't like him much. I didn't know why. He had been fairly nice to both of us. He just made me uncomfortable because he'd asked me out. Twice…Oh.

Could Seaweed Brain actually be jealous? Yeah, right, ha freaking ha. Stop dreaming, Annabeth. There are more important things to think about.

Jason smiled at me. His smile made me awkward, and I was suddenly extremely glad Percy was right next to me.

Percy grunted something that I could tell probably wasn't the nicest thing to Jason and they had a stare down.

Eventually I got tired of watching and went to lay down on the ground, but it hurt.

At the sound of my sharp intake of breath Percy broke the silent battle and titled his head towards me.

Jason got the message and turned to me. "Well, well, Annabeth. I told you that you'd need me." Then he winked.

Percy growled and he looked like any second he would claw Jason's eyes out if he didn't need to heal me first.

Jason held his hands up in mock surrender. " Didn't know you owned her, Jackson."

I guess Chiron had told Jason about the whole situation. That's how he knew the big wolf was Percy. Great. Of the four people that know about Percy's situation, Jason is one of them.

Percy stepped between Jason and me.

"Hey," I demanded, "I'm in severe pain over here."

Percy looked at me and reluctantly came back to sit by my head, while Jason smirked.

"We need to get you upstairs, Annabeth."

Oh, look. He's just stated the obvious.

Chiron came over and helped Jason carry me upstairs and Percy just watched and looked like he wished he could help. When I got to the room where Jason could start to heal me, Chiron said he had to go because it was breakfast time and he had to make sure everything was okay out there.

I personally thought he was just amused by the Percy vs. Jason thing. Great camp leader, huh. Note the sarcasm.

Jason closed the door behind Chiron and turned towards me. He walked over to the bed I was on and with a sick grin, started to lift my shirt. Right as I was about to protest, Percy did it for me. He pushed him away from me and growled again.

"What the hell, dude? It's her ribs that are injured. I have to look at them. You shouldn't even be in here. Can you be so kind as to step out so I can finish my work?" He said it like a question he wasn't really asking.

But in all truth, there was no way that I was going be in here, alone and shirtless, with Jason.

Percy was starting to, you guessed it, growl yet again, when I intervened

"It's fine. He can stay."

Jason looked livid, and Percy had a smug look in his eyes.

But Jason went back to work and took my shirt off. I had a feeling he was checking me out which made me nauseous and I felt embarrassed that I had allowed Percy to stay because he could see my bra. Yes, the 'hot pink lacy bra every girl was once in her life forced to buy thanks to a deranged step-mother' one. With a bow in the middle. Yes, that'd be the one.

I was never going to live this one down. And all because I didn't think this situation through very well.

I had three broken ribs and a possible concussion. Percy kept Jason in line and made sure he kept his eyes, and hands, off when at all possible. I would never tell him this, but I felt so safe with Percy.

When I was all done, Jason reluctantly helped me put my shirt back on over my plastered, bandage-covered torso.

Percy stared with pure hatred at Jason, and for the first time, I could truly see how much my best friend hated the boy next to me. I knew he was never too fond of him, but I never actually realized how much he absolutely despised him.

Jason left with an 'ultimate-creep worthy' comment on my bra, saying it looked sexy on me. And much to Percy's repulsion, Jason further infuriated him by saying he wished he could have gotten a closer look. Percy rested his head on the bed next to where I was laying down.

We were back in our original room, with the big bed, and I didn't know about Percy, but I was exhausted. I didn't really get what you would call a restful sleep. I was beat. Ha-ha get it? No?

Ah, well.

As I lay there half asleep, I whispered to Percy, " I would have been dead if it wasn't for you last night."

He looked at me doubtfully.

"Really. You saw what she was able to do. She would've obviously killed me if you hadn't come in."

He had a sad look in his eyes, and I didn't know why at first, then I thought like Percy would and understood.

"Would you stop it? You can't control when you enter a dream. You weren't too late, Percy. Stop beating yourself up over nothing."

He just sighed but nodded his head.

"I'm going to take a nap. You can lie down too, if you want. I feel bad about making you have the floor."

He made a sound that could have been a laugh and carefully climbed in on the other side. He came over close to me and lay on his stomach and put his head on his paws. His head was turned towards me and the message in his eyes was clear as day.

He would watch over me while I slept.

I smiled a small smile and ruffled his fur lightly. I lay my head down next to his and closed my eyes.

Does that make up for the long absence at least a little bit? Again, I am so sorry, and I swear I am going to try and have a bit more of a regular updating schedule! So please review!