A.N. Erm... well I'm still alive. :/ Really sorry it's been so long, guys. Accidental hiatus, oops. Well NaNo was fun and CHhistmas awesome and everything fanfictiony just took a backseat in my mind for a very long time, so apologies.

On a different note, over 60 reviews for just 4 chapters and over 100 followers? Wow, mind blown! Thanks so much. :) Please review.

Blood of Olympus

V

FRANK

It took a little while for Frank to calm everyone down after the attack. He had taken on the role because no one else seemed willing to and he had to say, he didn't think he had done a bad job. At least, everyone was moving again and doing something remotely useful, apart from Hazel. Percy and Jason had taken the initiative to begin the repairing process, Percy by spraying the fire-woven decks and Jason taking off into the air like a rocket and putting out flames that still rippled through the rigging like an unrelenting snake of doom.

Hazel looked to be in shock, her eyes wide, although she didn't seem to be looking at anything, and mouth open like a fish. Frank wanted to go and comfort her, but he was needed.

"Frank, take this to Percy," said Annabeth, struggling under the weight of a barrel.

Even if it was just grunt work.

"You could roll it," he suggested.

The look Annabeth threw him was poisoned. "As if I didn't already think of that," she snapped. "These barrels contain bottles of Greek Fire, do you know what would happen if one of the lids came loose?"

Frank shook his head.

"Mass destruction," said Annabeth and she passed the load to Frank. "Mass. Destruction."

If there was a comeback for that, Frank was waiting. Obediently, he carried the barrel across the decrepit debris-strewn deck, very carefully avoiding areas of anything that looked slippery and/or unstable. He wasn't exactly known for his balance and Annabeth was touchy enough without 'mass destruction' breaking out and Leo would probably self-destruct if any more damage came to his beloved ship.

Frank could see him, sitting in a pile of ruined rigging, shouting orders to Jason who was tugging at some sails with weak pulls.

"Get moving, lazy bones!" shouted Leo. "Do you want me to come up there?"

"I can't," Jason's voice was wavering and it sounded like it was about to break. Frank wasn't surprised, when he thought about it; Jason was probably the one functioning on the least sleep, being woken by Coach Hedge and before that standing at the prow of the ship for an unfound amount of time after Nico, Reyna and Hedge left the Argo II.

"Don't give me excuses, get me results!" Frank was pretty sure Leo was quoting Madagascar and mused as to whether the son of Hephaestus had broken a screw, or whatever kept him ticking in that weirdly scrawny body.

Frank wondered if Nico, Reyna and Coach Hedge were okay because Leo seemed to be channelling the satyr's spirit. And there was the reason Annabeth as so annoyed with him. Frank had volunteered Coach Hedge's services for the miniature quest heading for Camp Half-Blood when Annabeth hadn't finished her calculating. Although their time together had been not long – Annabeth and Percy had falling into Tartarus had taken a bunch of time out of their getting-to-know-each-other log – Frank already knew that Annabeth liked to have all her options. Percy also had liked to regal stories of Annabeth being incredible in the face of danger with her cool logic, but Frank had seen Octavian do the same thing. She was a calculating kind of person who wanted control over the final decision.

Of course, Frank wasn't petty enough to think that was the only reason she was in a bad mood, but he was sure that was a contributing factor. As to why she was powering about the boat like a miniature hurricane and snapping at everyone, even Percy, he wasn't sure.

Frank got stuck. Stranded on an island of safe wood, surrounded by rope; perfect for tripping over and broken mast; a danger hazard even if you weren't a klutz.

"Want a hand?" asked Hazel. Her voice was soft and as she took one side of the barrel her hand brushed against Frank's and they both blushed.

"Thanks," said Frank, trying to cover up his embarrassment by looking at the floor as Hazel guided him and the barrel over the obstacles.

"No problem," she said and she grinned. Relieved, Frank smiled back, glad to see that she had recovered from her moment of indispose.

"Percy!" called Frank. Percy turned around; water was spraying itself over the rigging, putting out any tiny flames that dared to come into existence. "Annabeth sends her love," he said and then, as Percy looked confused, added: "It's Greek Fire."

"Oh, ha ha," said Percy sarcastically. He took the barrel uncertainly. "What am I meant to do with it?"

Frank shrugged.

Percy put down the barrel and ran a hand through his hair. "I would imagine Annabeth would kill me if I did something stupid with it," said Percy.

"I think so," agreed Frank.

"I guess I should go and check what she wants me to do with it," said Percy who seemed to be stalling.

"Too scared to face your girlfriend?" asked Frank teasingly. Percy shot him a dirty look.

"Not scared," he corrected with much vigour, "just preserving myself. You should try it sometime Frank."

Hazel snorted into her hand and Percy turned to her. "Something funny?"

"You're such a hypocrite," she said, grinning. "You, telling someone to preserve themselves. Talk about pot calling the kettle black."

Percy's stare was blank. "I don't understand the expression, but in any case, I bugsy being the kettle."

"Hey!" said Frank who didn't quite understand why he felt he had to defend himself.

Percy shrugged. "Pots are old-fashioned, Hazel would probably like it."

Frank felt like he should do something, but Hazel beat him to it, punching Percy in the arm. "Go ask your girlfriend what she wants done," she said with a laugh.

Percy walked off, head hung low; with the expression of a boy who was marching to his room after being caught with his hand in the cookie jar. When Frank looked back at Hazel she was frowning.

"Hey," said Frank softly, "what's wrong."

"Nothing," said Hazel very quickly, not meeting Frank's gaze. Confused, Frank would have pushed further had he not been distracted by a echoing bang followed by silence and then very loud shouting.