This will be a shorter chapter.

Piper 𐤖𐤖 𐤛 𐤛

After Annabeth had relayed Chiron's message to the girl who was tending to her brother and Jason split off from the other two, Piper turned to her.

"I'm sorry, I just have to ask, do you know why your brother snapped at Jason."

"Annabeth stopped walking for a minute, pursing her lips, "no..." she said, "he's usually fairly restrained." The two continued their walk in relative silence before Annabeth continued.

"he's always been a bit withdrawn and disenchanted, but after returning from traveling with both Drew and Katie, that was the girl taking care of him just back then, he seems even more withdrawn from the rest of the campers.

Piper flinched at the mention of Drew's name, "well, there you have it, it was probably from having to deal with her." Piper couldn't see Annabeth's face, but the well-timed cough and the fact that Annabeth looked away from her for a bit confirmed Piper's assumption that she agreed with her.

"I went to visit him after Katie dropped him back off at his dorm, but he refused to say anything, and the same went for Drew, both refused to say anything."

"Why would Drew refuse to tell you anything, didn't you say that she and Malcolm got along... oh."

Annabeth nodded. "Something must have happened there that shook them to the core.

Piper noticed that they were getting close to cabin six, Annabeth's cabin, "One more thing, did you ask Katie what happened."

Annabeth looked around and then motioned for Piper to follow her. Behind Athena's cabin was a small picnic table, barely enough room for four people to sit. "Katie's who first aroused my suspicions, both Malcolm and Drew said that the mission was dud, they weren't able to determine anything about the quest or the prophecy, that the entire mission was a wild goose chase.

"What about Katie."

That weekend when Malcolm returned to camp, he along with Drew and Katie gave Chiron a full report of the journey. I had just finished consulting with him about Mount Olympus, so I was there to hear everything. Malcolm spoke with Drew occasionally interrupting to add in more detail or to correct him on some minor details, but I remember Katie being silent for the entire duration. After they finished their report, Chiron dismissed them and looked to me like he wanted to talk, but as Drew Malcolm and Katie left the building, Katie wheeled back in as if she had forgotten something and asked Chiron to speak to him privately.

"Without you?"

Annabeth nodded.

"So you think whatever happened during that time caused your brother to snap?"

Annabeth shrugged, "honestly, I don't know, I was hoping that when he got together with Katie a couple of weeks back, that would have shocked him out of whatever was going on with him."

"A missing boyfriend and an enigmatic brother, you sure know how to choose relations with boys."

Annabeth smiled a genuine smile, one that reached her eyes, "I think my relationship with one of them was out of my hands.

"Aww, that's so cute," Piper said mockingly "you believe in soulmates.

Still smiling, Annabeth looked up, "since I like you, I'll give you a ten-second headstart before chasing you to your cabin with a knife."

Piper smiled, "Thanks Annabeth, for everything, I mean it."

"Mmhmm, one, two."

Piper widened her eyes in surprise, "wait, you aren't actually...

A playful glint in Annabeth's eyes told her all she needed to know, "three..."

Piper rushed off before Annabeth reached ten.