A/N: I have no excuses, but I'm so glad people are still reading and enjoying this. This is for all of you! Hope you are staying healthy and safe out there!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

~PercyJackson~

Percy settled into a chair in the dining room and looked down at his plate, debating just what he wanted for breakfast.

Annabeth sat down next to him, asking for blue pancakes. Grinning at his girlfriend, Percy ordered the same.

"Again with the blue food," Jason said with a sigh, sitting down opposite Percy.

"It's awesome," Percy said, digging into his pancakes.

"I'm pretty sure we could order anything any color we wanted and would get it," Piper said, sitting down next to Jason.

"Oooh," Leo said, plopping down on Jason's other side. "Green eggs and ham."

Jason shook his head as that was what appeared on Leo's plate.

"What?" Leo asked, already shoving a forkful of green eggs into his mouth. "I've always wanted to try it."

It didn't take them long to finish breakfast, and while Percy was itching to get out and do something, instead of just sit around reading all day, he knew they had to finish the book. And so, with long sighs from the demigods and suffering sighs from the gods, the group trooped back into the throne room.

"Man," Connor said as he plopped down on a couch. "What I wouldn't give for a little exercise. And I never thought I'd be the one to say something like that."

"Never thought you would either," Travis said. "But I agree with you there."

"We're really going to have to do something tonight," Thalia said, stretching. "As excitable as Percy's adventures are, sitting around is boring."

"Completely," Will and Nico agreed at the same time, grinning at each other.

"Now," Hera said, having settled onto her seat. "Who will read next?"

"I will," Katie said, getting up and retrieving the book. "Something to do, at least."

The other demigods nodded in understanding.

"We Get a Surprise on Miami Beach, " Katie began.

Sounds like a party," Travis said.

"A surprise party," Connor added with a grin. The two boys high-fived. Katie simply shook her head and continued to read.

… a harbor filled with sailboats and cruise ships.

"Sounds like Miami," Hermes said. "Great place if I do say so myself."

"I do rather enjoy Miami," Poseidon put in.

"Too much noise," Athena said, shaking her head. "And people simply do not know how to dress there."

Poseidon grinned. "Or they know just how to dress there."

"Swimsuits do not count as clothing," Athena said.

"Sure they do," Apollo said. "And they're awesome and comfortable."

"Plus, you can go swimming in them," Hermes pointed out.

"Unbelievable," Athena growled, waving a hand at Katie. "Please, if you wouldn't mind."

... We'll have to swim to shore on our own."

"Yeah," Poseidon said. "The hippocami won't go near Miami beach. It's too much for them."

"It wouldn't be so bad if you'd just clean up the waters," Athena said.

"I've tried to before," Poseidon said. "But I cannot help what the humans do. It is…frustrating."

"I'll agree there," Grover said. "Humans don't think much about littering or pollution."

"Hey, not all of us are that bad," Percy said. "But I'll admit Miami beach wasn't fun."

... gave him a soggy mango he'd picked up on the island, and said good-bye.

"Oh man, that's so sweet of Tyson," Chris said. "He really is awesome."

"That'd be hard to say goodbye to a friend," Piper said. "Especially with how much Rainbow and friends helped you all."

"Luckily, he got to see Rainbow again," Percy said.

... looking like they'd just had a fight with a monster-they didn't let on.

"Why are you dripping wet?" Leo asked. "Don't your powers let you stay dry?"

"Well, it would have been weird for me to be the only dry one," Percy said. "Or to walk out of the ocean dry."

"Oh," Leo said. "I guess that's true."

"Of course it is," Piper said, laughing. Leo stuck his tongue out at her, to which Piper replied in kind.

... "June eighteenth! We've been away from camp ten days!"

"Ten days," Aphrodite said, her eyes wide. "But, you weren't gone that long, were you?"

"You know that time works differently in places that aren't purely mortal," Athena said, rolling her eyes at the goddess of love.

"Of course I know that," Aphrodite said. "But usually time moves faster outside the mortal world. Not slower. They were only gone a couple of days."

"It varies," Zeus said. "The flow of time does."

"It's just to make things confusing," Annabeth sighed.

... "Clarisse, how can you say that? You are the biggest-"

"I do not think that now is the best time to argue," Hestia said.

"And what, exactly, do you mean, what the Oracle said?" Apollo asked, curiously. "I don't think we've heard your full prophesy yet."

"That's because I haven't told you it," Clarisse snapped.

"And I'll just keep reading," Katie said. "Before Clarisse and Annabeth have an argument here as well as in the book."

...How would I feel if a bunch of other heroes had butted in and made me look bad?

Clarisse snorted. "Not that you made me look bad," she said. "But yes, now you understand. Butting in to someone else's quest is absolutely ridiculous. And rude."

Percy sighed. "You're right and I'm sorry."

Annabeth wrinkled her nose. "Same here. Although I'm glad we came on the quest with you."

Clarisse stared at them a moment. "Yeah, I guess I'm glad you came too. I probably could have done it alone. But, you guys did help some."

"You're welcome," Percy said, knowing that was as close to a thank you as he and Annabeth were going to get. Clarisse scowled at them, a light flush on her cheeks.

...And fail without friends, to fly home alone."

"Talk about a harsh prophesy," Chris said. "I don't think I even would have embarked on such a quest, knowing I would fail."

"But they didn't," Travis said. "I mean, you made it back with the fleece."

"Thankfully," Thalia said. She tried not to think about what would have happened if they'd been too late in getting the fleece home."

"I think I understand," Rachel said, smiling slightly.

"I don't," Hazel said. "I mean, that prophesy has basically said Clarisse would fail and return home alone."

"Which begs the question," Frank said. "What happens to you guys?" he gestured to Percy, Annabeth, and Grover.

"If you'll let me read, we could find out," Katie said.

...pulled out the Ziploc bag full of cash that Hermes had included in our supplies.

"I don't know if I can say this enough," Connor said, grinning. "But I love that cyclopes."

"I want to meet him," Leo said. "He sounds awesome."

"I'm glad all that money wasn't wasted," Hermes said, grinning. "And my gifts come through once again. I am awesome."

"I'm so jealous," Apollo moaned. "Why do you get to help out so much? I want to help."

..."Clarisse," I yelled. "Come on. You're going to the airport. Annabeth, give her the Fleece."

"I get it," Hazel said, nodding. "That's very nice of you."

Percy shrugged. "Not like I could fly home," he pointed out.

"Too right, boy," Zeus said.

Poseidon glared at his younger brother, but sighed. It was true.

"Which I'm okay with," Percy said. "Not a fan of flying."

"I just hope it's enough money for the cab and the plane ticket," Hephaestus mused.

"Obviously it was," Ares grunted. "My daughter would make sure of it."

Clarisse flushed at the strange round about praise her father had given her.

...but you'd have to fly home alone. You have to get the Fleece back safely."

"I must say I'm impressed," Athena said. "That you figured that out."

Percy smiled at her.

"He's usually the one that figures things out in tight situations," Annabeth pointed out.

"Must be all the time I spend with you, Wise Girl," Percy said.

"Shut up," Annabeth said, blushing and smiling. Percy grinned back at her.

"I never got to say thank you," Clarisse said. "For letting me complete my quest."

Percy blinked at Clarisse's words, unsure he heard properly. "Uh, you're welcome."

"Right," Clarisse said, her usual scowl returning to her face. "And I'm just glad I'm getting out of there. Being in these books is not fun. Sucks to be you."

"That sounds more like the Clarisse we know," Travis said. Katie laughed, turning her attention back to the book.

..."Not failing would be good."

"Yes, not failing would be appreciated all around," Thalia said, nodding.

"Thank you," Percy said, looking at Clarisse and feeling like he should return her words. "For keeping your word."

"Of course, punk," Clarisse said with a short nod.

..."You're betting the lives of everybody at camp that Clarisse will get the Fleece safely back by tonight?"

"Wow, glad to know you had faith in me," Clarisse growled. "I'm not the one who ran into trouble, after all."

"Yeah," Grover said. "It was the trouble magnet and his friends that got that surprise."

"I don't like the sound of that," Poseidon said.

"I don't either," Athena said.

...I'd surprised her, anyway. And that wasn't easy to do.

"You did," Annabeth said. "I couldn't believe you'd let her go without us."

Percy grinned at Annabeth. "Glad I can surprise you on occasion. It's hard to do, after all."

"What are you talking about, Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth asked. "You're always surprising me. Impressing me, though. That's another matter."

Percy laughed.

..."Hey, cuz," said Luke. "Welcome back to the States."

Hermes sighed, a frown on his face. "I was hoping the trouble you ran into wouldn't be him," he said.

Poseidon clenched his jaw. He didn't like anyone threatening his son, but he also knew how he would feel if it was a son of his who had turned against them, so he kept his mouth shut.

Athena was thinking the same thing, seeing how depressed Hermes looked at the mention of his son, the one he was so proud of. She wouldn't speak ill of Luke, no matter that he was currently threatening her daughter. After all, her daughter had made it away from him. If she hadn't…well, that would be another story.

..."tell your giant to back down or I'll have Oreius bash your friends' heads together."

"Too bad Tyson couldn't take out both bear brothers," Chris said.

"Even if he could have, I don't know if it would have helped," Rachel said. "Not while Luke had a sword to Percy's throat.

"That's true," Chris said.

..."Why, Percy," Luke said, "I want to extend my hospitality, of course."

"What if they don't want your hospitality?" Jason asked.

"I don't think Luke cares," Piper said.

"No kidding," Leo added.

Hermes sighed. He wished there was something more he could do, something to help his son see that he did care for him. Maybe Percy and Annabeth were able to speak some sense into him. It was possible.

...He looked us over, prodding my shirt with the tip of his sword, poking Grover's jeans.

"Oh dear, he's not going to like the fact that you don't have it, is he?" Hazel asked.

"Not particularly," Percy said.

"Somehow, I don't think that's a good thing," Frank said.

"It's not," Annabeth said. "But it also was. It wouldn't have been good for him to get his hands on the fleece. Not with what he wanted to use it for."

"Which was?" Jason asked.

Annabeth shrugged. "You'll see," she said.

"Hey!" Grover yelled. "That's real goat fur under there!"

Travis, Connor, Will, Chris, and Leo burst out into laughter at that line.

"Oh, that's the perfect comeback," Will said, wiping his eyes. "I love it."

Grover grinned.

... "We sent it on ahead of us. You messed up."

"Probably not the best to rub it in his face quite so much," Nico said, voice dry.

"Or at all," Thalia said, rolling her eyes. "Next time just keep your mouth shut."

"Like you wouldn't have done the same," Percy said, rolling his eyes.

"I…" Thalia sighed in frustration, unable to deny it. She totally would have thrown it back in Luke's face.

"I think any of us would have," Katie said.

..."You trusted … you gave …"

"Why is everyone so shocked," Clarisse grumbled. "It was my quest!"

"But you and Percy hate each other," Chris informed his girlfriend. "So no one would think that he'd let you take the fleece and go, that he'd trust you with such a task."

"I wouldn't say we hate each other," Percy said, twiddling his thumbs.

"We're not friends," Clarisse said.

Percy and Clarisse met each other's eyes, nodding to each other in understanding.

"I don't think I'll ever understand," Jason said, shaking his head.

"You're not the only one," Katie said, many of the other demigods nodding in agreement.

..."Do it!" Luke screamed. "Or I'll feed you to the drakon!"

"That is no way to treat your friends," Apollo said, sounding appalled.

"I don't think they're friends," Artemis informed her brother. "Sounds like the bear brothers are merely muscle for Luke to use."

"I guess so," Apollo said. "And I'll never understand why anyone would put up with such a relationship. If your boss is threatening to kill you if you don't obey, you're working for the wrong side."

"I have to agree there," Artemis said, glancing at Hermes. "Sorry."

Hermes sighed. "No, it's the truth. And I agree too. I just don't understand how Luke can't see he's working for the wrong side. Because that statement goes the other way. If you have to threaten the people working for you, you're on the wrong side."

"Too true," Apollo said, nodding.

… If I could use Luke's anger, get him to talk so everybody could hear how crazy his plans were …

"I don't think that's going to work," Piper said. "I mean, no offense, but if they've followed him this far, I don't think they'll care if he's crazy or not."

Percy shrugged. "No offense taken. You're right. They wouldn't."

Annabeth grins though, remembering just what Percy had done. "But stalling is still a good tactic, and it's never a bad plan to get your adversary to tell you their plans."

"I suppose that's true," Piper said.

"It is a good idea to know what your enemies had planned and are planning," Jason said. "It makes things easier."

"That's true," Leo agreed.

.. "You wanted us to bring you the Fleece and save you the trouble of getting it."

"This sounds more like you already knew what he had planned," Travis said.

"Yeah, so why do you even have to ask?" Connor added.

"I didn't really know why he wanted the fleece," Percy said.

"And he did have a plan up his sleeve," Annabeth said, squeezing Percy's hand and smiling at him.

...The coin sailed into the spray of rainbow-colored water.

"Smart," Athena said, finding herself amazed that she was complimenting the sea spawn.

"Wow," Poseidon said. "Did I really just hear that?"

"Be quiet," Athena spat. "I wasn't complimenting you. Obviously the boy has learned quite a bit from my daughter."

"Don't go taking all the credit," Ares growled at Athena. "He obviously has learned a few tricks from other people as well."

"Surely you don't mean you," Athena scoffed.

"Peace, please," Hestia said, sending a warning glare at Athena and Ares. "Let us continue reading."

Katie nodded at Hestia, turning back to the book.

...but I needed everyone's attention on me, so I uncapped Riptide.

"I can't believe no one noticed," Hazel said, eyes wide.

"It's amazing how much of a scene Percy can create when he wants to," Grover said, grinning.

"Yeah," Travis said. "He really knows how to hold your attention."

Hazel shook her head. If Luke had been Roman, such a tactic would not have worked. They were trained to keep their sense open to what's going on, and someone would have realized a drachma thrown into a rainbow would summon Iris to carry a message.

... I used elder python venom, straight from the depths of Tartarus."

"And how would he get his hands on that?" Apollo asked, turning to look at Hermes.

"I don't know," Hermes said with a shake of his head.

"Maybe," Artemis began.

"No," Zeus said. "We've had this discussion before and I will not have it again."

"I really think you're going to regret your words, brother," Hades said.

"I'm kind of looking forward to it," Poseidon said. "Not for what happens to the kids, but well, it's not often he has to eat his words."

"Enough," Zeus declared, motioning for Katie to keep reading.

... I wasgoing to let you take the Fleece … once I was done with it."

"He was?" Hermes asked, looking to Percy.

"Yeah," Percy said. "He was. He couldn't quite bring himself to destroy Thalia's tree."

Hermes let out a relieved sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. "So maybe there is a chance, then."

"Hey, that's good," Apollo said. "It's good, right?" he directed this last bit towards Artemis.

"Yes," Artemis replied softly. "But why isn't Luke here then?"

"Oh," Apollo said. He frowned, but shook it off a moment later, determined to remain positive and upbeat for his friend.

... You've only slowed us down a little."

"So you'll be eating your words sooner rather than later?" Poseidon asked politely, tiddling his thumbs.

"I'll be doing no such thing," Zeus said. "What is being suggested is impossible."

"I'm not so sure," Athena said slowly.

"Regardless, we will not be speaking of it. There is no need," Zeus said with a tone of voice that said 'and that is that.'

..."Because I want everybody in the audience to hear you."

"What audience?"

"Oh to have seen the shock on his face just then," Will said, grinning.

"It was great," Connor said.

"But man was he pissed when the shock wore off," Travis added.

"I get it now," Leo said, finally understanding the situation. "Man, that's awesome, getting Chiron cleared."

"Thank you," Percy said, grinning.

..."Well," said Dionysus dryly, "some unplanned dinner entertainment."

Several gods and demigods burst into laughter at this.

"Oh man, D, you have some of the best lines," Apollo said, wiping tears from his eyes as he calmed down enough to finally speak. "I'm so jealous. Oh, I could make that a-"

"No," Artemis said, though she was grinning. "No haikus."

"Fine," Apollo said, crossing his arms and pouting. "But it could have been just as good as D's comment."

"I doubt it," Ares said.

Dionysus's lips twitched in a smile as he pretended he wasn't listening. It was good to know he could still make people laugh on occasion.

...his attention was mostly on his cheeseburger, which he was trying to corner with both hands.

"He's just saying that because he doesn't want Chiron to come back," Nico said.

"Well duh," Thalia said, ruffling Nico's hair. "With Chiron coming back, it means he goes back to the Underworld."

"And looses any chance he might have of getting food," Jason guessed.

"Yep," Chris said.

"Not that he had any chance to begin with," Clarisse said.

..."You may return to the Underworld. You are dismissed."

"No! But-Nooooooooooo!"

"Now that is just cruel," Frank said, though he couldn't help the chuckle that escaped at the thought of what Tantalus's face must have looked like.

"It was hilarious," Connor said.

"He was so excited, and then," Travis began, but dissolved into laughter, unable to finish his sentence.

"It was pretty funny," Katie said. "And none of us felt too bad. Not after everything he put us through."

The demigods all nodded their heads in agreement.

...The campers exploded into cheering.

"Best thing to happen all summer," Will said.

"At least the first best thing to happen that summer," Katie said.

Will tilted his head, considering that. "True."

...You're an unreliable weapon. You need to be replaced."

Poseidon tensed at that, gripping the armrests on his seat. "I do not like the sound of that."

"Neither do I," Athena said, knowing her daughter was right there next to the sea spawn.

"Hmm," Dionysus frowned, remembering that Grover was there too. He didn't like to think that what he and the campers had witnessed had put those who were brave enough to tell the truth in danger. Not that he would ever show that, but still.

...Luke smiled at me. "You'll never leave this boat alive."

"That's it," Katie said, closing the book.

"The end of the book?" Leo asked.

"No," Katie said. "The end of the chapter."

"Well, what are we waiting for, let's get to the next chapter!" Leo said, getting up to retrieve the book from Katie.