***So as much as I enjoyed Blood of Olympus (and I really, truly did), there were a few things that I missed or wanted more of—mostly I wanted more scenes with the Seven. Also, although there were some great moments, the book was seriously lacking in Percy/Annabeth fluff. Which is all why I decided to write a "missing moments" story. It's told from Annabeth and Hazel's POVs, because they were two of the characters I wanted to hear more from in the actual book.

This first chapter takes place while Jason, Piper, and Annabeth are on Ithaca and continues when they get back. For more about what may have happened before they left, check out my one-shot Disguises.

There will be eight chapters total in this story. The next chapter will be up on Monday, January 12. Thanks for reading!***

HAZEL:

When Piper, Jason, and Annabeth left, a tense silence settled over the Argo II. Frank paced the deck, occasionally turning into a falcon and flying up to perch on the mast for a better view. Leo was in the bow, tinkering with Festus's brain again. Percy stood at the port rail, eyes fixed on the island, though every couple minutes he scanned the sea for any signs of an attack. After reassuring herself that the Mist disguises she'd given the others were working, Hazel joined him at the rail.

"I hate this," Percy muttered. "Waiting and not knowing what's going on drive me crazy."

Hazel gaze him a sympathetic look. "The others will be fine. They're just going to sneak in, get the information we need, and come right back. Besides, if it comes to a fight, you know it's the ghosts who should be scared."

"True." Percy gave her a small smile. "How are you always so calm?"

"Not always," Hazel said. "I threw a fit when Leo and I were cut off from the others after that stupid tunnel collapsed in the House of Hades. Not my proudest moment."

"It happens. Believe me. Speaking of Leo," Percy glanced over his shoulder at Leo, who was using his own hand as a welding torch. "Do you know what his deal is? He seems kind of angry at me and I have no idea why."

"Oh." Hazel flashed back to the night before, when Leo had told her where Khione had sent him and who he'd met there. She knew exactly why Leo was mad at Percy, but she wasn't sure how much she should say. "Remember when Piper was talking about how Khione the snow goddess showed up?"

"Yeah." Percy frowned, like he wasn't sure where she was going with this.

"Khione blasted Leo into the sky, supposedly to a place of no return." Hazel hesitated. "He, um, met someone there. I think you know her."

Percy's brow furrowed, then suddenly his eyes widened in understanding. "Oooohhh. Khione sent him—?"

"Yep."

"And he met—?"

"Yes."

"Huh. That explains a lot." Percy glanced at Leo again and winced. "I'll talk to him."

"Good." A flash of light caught Hazel's eye. She turned to the island. The flash came again, from the top of the hill where the palace of Odysseus was located. "Did you see that?"

"See what?" Percy, too, turned back to the island as several flashes blinked out. "It almost looks like a signal."

Realization dawned on Hazel. "Leo! Get over here!"

Leo hurried to the railing. "What's wrong?"

"The others are signaling us." Hazel pointed to the hillside. "I think it's Morse code."

Leo squinted at the flashes. "H—U—R—T."

"Hurt? Who's hurt?" Percy asked, his voice tense.

"Don't know, man." Leo was still watching the signals. "N—E—E—D—H—E—L—P. Need help."

"Someone's hurt and they need help." Hazel's stomach twisted. She waved to Frank, perched at the top of the mast, and he flew down.

"What's going on?" he asked after transforming back into himself.

"We may need a medical evac," Leo said. Signals flashed again on the hill. "J—A—S—O—N—H—U—R—T—N—E—E—D—H—E—L—P."

"Jason hurt, need help," Frank translated.

Leo's jaw tightened. "Festus! Use fire to send a Morse code message: Sending Frank." The dragon roared acknowledgement, then flashed the signals. "Frank, go."

"Tell Piper and Annabeth we'll pick them up at the beach," Hazel added.

Frank nodded, then transformed into a giant eagle and took off. The other three watched him fly away. A ripple of fear ran down Hazel's spine; the others wouldn't have signaled for help unless it was really bad.

"I'll go to the beach and get the girls," Percy volunteered.

Hazel shook her head. "I'll go. Frank and Leo will need your help to get Jason to sickbay."

For a moment, she thought Percy was going to protest, but then he nodded.

Leo headed for the helm. "I'll cover you guys from here, just in case anything tries to attack from the island."

Hazel took a deep breath. She called on the Mist. Keeping her destination firmly in mind, she dissolved into darkness.

ANNABETH:

Annabeth was impressed with how calmly Piper had handled Jason's injury. But as soon as Dragon Frank took off, Jason swinging below him in his hastily-constructed litter, Piper burst into tears. Annabeth hugged her friend. She didn't offer any words of comfort; they would have just sounded hollow. Instead, she patted her back as Piper sobbed into her shoulder.

After about a minute, Piper took a shaky breath and pulled back. She wiped a hand across her eyes. "Thanks. I didn't mean to fall apart like that, but…"

"It's fine," Annabeth reassured her. "You were amazing, taking care of his injury. And Jason's a fighter. He's going to make it."

Piper didn't say anything. She just bent down to pick up her sword and Jason's gladius.

"Come on," Annabeth said. "Let's get to the beach so we can catch our ride back to the ship."

The walk back down the hill was harder than the walk up. It should have been easier, but Annabeth's ankle was killing her. Stupid Arachne, she thought viciously as she limped a few steps behind Piper down the hillside. Stupid Gaea. Stupid giants and ghosts that stab my friends. And stupid Hera, with her complete lack of any real help. She shut off her mental tirade as they reached the beach and saw Hazel waiting for them.

"What happened?" Hazel's expression confirmed Annabeth's suspicion that she and Piper looked a lot worse than when they'd left the ship.

"Our cover was blown," Annabeth said. "But we got the information we came for. We'll tell you guys later though." She glanced at Piper, whose eyes were fixed on the ship.

Hazel nodded and held out her hands. "Let's check on the guys."

Shadow-travel, or Mist-travel, or whatever it was, wasn't Annabeth's favorite mode of transportation, but at least it was fast. However, when they appeared on the ship, none of the guys were on deck. Annabeth and Hazel exchanged worried looks, then followed Piper down to sickbay.

An hour later, Annabeth had changed clothes and cleaned up. Thanks to some ambrosia, the cut on her neck had healed and the pain in her ankle had subsided to a dull throb. Jason was stable; Piper was sitting with him while he rested in sickbay. They'd told Leo to set course for Olympia, but Piper and Annabeth were waiting until dinner to discuss what the suitors had said with the rest of the crew, mostly because Jason was the one with the majority of the information. Exhaustion was beginning to overcome the adrenaline still coursing through her and Annabeth was sitting on her bed debating taking a nap when Percy appeared in her doorway.

"Hey," he said. "Can I come in?"

"Of course. Just leave the door open so Buford doesn't have a fit."

Percy smirked. "I think the table and hologram might actually be a more effective chaperone than the real coach."

"Don't ever let Hedge hear you say that," Annabeth warned.

"Oh gods, no," Percy said as he sat down beside her. "He'd come after me with that baseball bat."

Annabeth leaned against Percy. "I can't believe you're afraid of a satyr."

"You would be, too, if you'd seen him ninja-kick Keto in the back of the head."

They were quiet for a minute. Percy put his arm around her. "You okay?"

Annabeth shrugged. "Long day." Unbidden, a tear slipped down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away.

"Want to tell me about it?" Percy prompted gently.

Annabeth told him what had happened in the ruins of Odysseus's palace, about the suitors, how Jason's mom had shown up, and the fight that followed, culminating with Jason being stabbed by Michael Varus.

"Wow," Percy said when she finished. "Jason's really not having a good day."

"Not at all," Annabeth agreed. Another tear slipped down her cheek. She ignored it. "It was just so cruel."

"Varus stabbing him?"

"No. Well, yeah, that too, but I was talking about his mom."

"Oh, yeah. Gods, I can't even imagine. Even when things have been crazy, I've always had my mom." Percy's voice caught just the tiniest bit. "I, um, tried to send her an IM when we got back, you know, from Tartarus, but it didn't go through."

"You're getting home to your mom, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said fiercely. "We're all going to make it back."

"I hope so." Percy didn't sound like he believed her, but before Annabeth could say anything, he changed the subject. "Were you limping earlier?"

"Oh, that." Annabeth sighed. "I don't think my ankle ever healed properly. Sometimes, like when I'm stressed, it still hurts."

"Seriously?" Percy pulled back to look at her, forcing Annabeth to reluctantly lift her head off his shoulder. "Why didn't you say anything?"

His brows were furrowed in concern, which always made Annabeth flash back to the balcony at the Plaza, after she'd been stabbed. "It's not that big of a deal, Percy. I had some ambrosia and it feels better. Besides, Jason's the one who got stabbed, not me. You should be worried about him."

"I am, but I can worry about you, too. I mean, Jason's not my girlfriend."

"Glad you cleared that up," came Leo's voice from the doorway, making both Percy and Annabeth jump.

Percy turned bright red. "That came out wrong."

"Yes, it did," Leo agreed.

Annabeth fought back a laugh. "What's up, Leo?"

"Jason, who is not Percy's girlfriend, is up, so we're meeting in the mess hall to talk about what you guys learned in Ithaca."

"We'll be right there," Annabeth said.

Leo disappeared down the hall and Annabeth gave Percy a kiss on the cheek. "Come on, Seaweed Brain. Time to get back to work."