I am so sorry for the delay! I have been very busy learning the English language and being able to hear and recognize words as well as speak them. It's hard sometimes because when I couldn't hear I thought that words that looked the same must have sounded the same but they don't and it's really messed up with my reading out loud skills. I can read and recognize a word but it takes me a moment to figure out how to say it out loud. Through and cough don't sound the same but would and wood do...It's a little frustrating but I have a way better understanding of English than when I first started. I can now hear and recognize words and sounds that I have learned. I still rely on sign language for the things I have not learned yet.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Annabeth POV

I tried to reason with Sally. I tried to tell her that it would be better for me to stay and help. Sally just shook her head and told me that I was the only one who could go get help, and I hate to admit it, but she was right. Sally wouldn't be able to get across the border, and Grover was down for the count and there was no way Percy was going to leave him. So I ran up the hill.

I got to the pine tree, and I shuddered. I touched it with my hand and prayed that tonight wouldn't be like that night.

I looked back and saw the Minotaur getting closer. I ran down the hill, up to the Big House, and I pounded on the door. The one person I had hoped to see answered it.

"Chiron!" I cried and gave him a hug. "Percy is in trouble! The bull-man is here!" (Everyone knows how dangerous names are.)

Chiron bounded out the door and told me to rouse the campers and then meet him on the hill. People started to pile out in their pajamas and armor, trying to beat the sleep they had just been woken from.

Everyone really woke up when there was a very loud roar. A very loud, angry, roar.

I quickly ran into my cabin and put my armor on. Then, along with everyone else, ran to the top of the hill.

Everyone stopped just behind the border and looked down. The sight was awful. Sally had just been grabbed by the Minotaur and dissolved into light. A guttural cry of grief sounded through the air. It took me moment to realize it was Percy because I hadn't heard him make a sound before.

Some other campers and I drew our weapons and started to go help, but Chiron held his hand up and yelled, "STOP! You all know that this is the first test. Getting to camp is always the first test. He has to cross the border by himself."

I wanted to scream at Percy to just run. He didn't need to face this monster, he just needed to get across the border and then we could help him and take down the Minotaur.

Some other campers had the same idea and actually did start to yell at him.

"He can't hear you! One, the border prevents people outside from hearing sounds from camp, and two, Percy is deaf!" I yelled at them.

The yelling came down to uneasy and astonished whispers.

I turned my attention back to the fight, and Percy wasn't doing too well. If he failed, the campers and I were the cleanup crew. I didn't want that to happen, not again.

To my surprise though, Percy started to gain the upper hand. I could tell he didn't really have a plan, but his instincts were amazing.

When Percy was backed up against the tree and monster got ready to charge, we all sucked in a breath, waiting for the worst. Those breaths turned to gasps when Percy vaulted up and over onto the back of the Minotaur. Everyone started to cheer.

After being tossed around, Percy pulled a horn off and the bull-man threw him off. Percy landed and his head hit a rock with a sickening crack. We all feared the worst, but again were surprised when Percy shakily stood up and used the horn to bring down his monster. The Minotaur turned to dust and Percy stumbled and dragged Grover over the hill.

Finally, he crossed the border. He seemed to just notice we were here, standing in a circle around him. Percy let go of Grover and then started to sway. He collapsed right into Chiron's arms.

Chiron instructed the campers to take Grover and put him in the infirmary. He asked Michael Yew and I to run to the Big House and prep a room for Percy.

The Big House was only used as an infirmary for special cases. Ones that couldn't be treated in the Camp Infirmary.

We ran into the house and down a hallway leading to the guest rooms. Michael and I got ready bandages and Nectar and Ambrosia. Chiron came in and put Percy on the bed.

He was pale and clammy, and his face was scrunched up in pain. We got him as comfortable as possible in the bed and pulled some tan sheets up around his waist.

We started to wipe down the cuts on the his arms and the big one on his head. Then we put some Nectar on them and they started to heal. We wrapped them in bandages and pulled the blankets up to his chin.

Chiron said that we could probably take the bandages off in the morning, but that he didn't know when Percy would wake up. He then instructed us to go get some rest.

I yawned and made my way back to my cabin and fell onto my bed. I wish I could say that I got a good night's sleep, but my dreams had other plans.

I bolted up screaming the name "Thalia!" and had to take a moment to calm down. I didn't want to think about it, and instead filled my head up with thoughts about Percy. I wondered how he was.

I got dressed and went to breakfast. The sun was up and it was a nice day, like always. It was the exact opposite of the chaos of last night.

I decided just to grab a granola bar and headed to the Big House. Chiron was in Percy's room watching over him. He seemed really tired, but he had a certain pride in his eyes when he looked at the boy in the bed.

"How's he doing?" I asked.

"His physical wounds have healed, but there is no telling when he will wake up. He has had a rough few days and it's going to take him a while to recover." Chiron said.

I nodded and sighed. "Why don't you go get some rest. I can watch him. If he stirs I'll feed him a small dose of nectar and put him back to sleep. Then when he is ready to wake up I'll come and get you."

Chiron nodded and said, "Thank you Annabeth." He hugged me and said, "I'm so glad you made it back safely too."

I smiled and hugged him back and then he left. I pulled up a chair and studied Percy. He didn't look like much. He was scrawny and had really messy hair. His tan complexion was returning, but he was still kind of pale and his face was scrunched up like he was having a nightmare.

I went and got a towel and wet it with warm water and put it on his forehead. Percy immediately relaxed. He hummed a bit and his eyes opened a little. I grabbed a canteen of nectar and dribbled some into his mouth. I knew telling him to go to sleep wasn't an option so I gently closed his eyes and ran my fingers through his messy hair. He really needed a shower.

This was how my day went. It gave me an excuse to sit and read my books on architecture. I also started to learn some sign language. Grover stepped in for a little while to give me a break through the night.

I was back the next morning and the same routine began. Towel, waking up a little, nectar, and then soothing back to sleep.

It was afternoon and I had been studying the plans for the Hoover Dam. I had the chair at the head of the bed with my arm resting next to Percy when I realized it was all wet. He drooled in his sleep. I got up to grab a clean towel while muttering about how gross that was.

My hand with the towel was inches away from wiping Percy's face when his eyes opened wide awake. He sat up and scooted back against the headboard looking at me warily until recognition showed in his eyes.

Percy POV

Dreams are weird. At first I was dreaming about a shady farm house with shady animals. It was raining and the smell of wet livestock was in the air. I walked around in the rain a bit until a big black bull with a man holding a pitchfork appeared in front of me. They looked angry and started to chase me so I ran.

I didn't get very far though. I kept running but I wasn't going anywhere. It felt like I was running against a wall of wind blowing hard against me. The bull and the man were almost to me and were about to strike me when my mother jumped in front of me a took the blow. I threw my hand out to catch her but by the time I got my arms around her, she was nothing but dust. I looked up and the bull slammed his hoof into my head.

I felt a warm sensation on my forehead and it felt really good. I breathed out and opened my eyes a little. I couldn't make out anything but blond hair and something delicious being poured down my throat. I didn't realize how achey my body was until whatever was poured into my mouth made everything feel better. Something gentle touched my eyes and the scene changed again.

This time I was standing at the edge of a pit. It was cold and some force was trying to pull me into it. I tried to fight against it and get away from the pit but it pulled me in. I caught hold of the edge just in time and I could feel the pit vibrating. It was laughing. I pulled myself up and walked away but I found myself in a dark maze. I didn't know where I was going exactly, but eventually after many twists and turns I found myself on a beach. I walked up to the edge of the water and the waves tickled my feet. I smiled. I felt a had on my shoulder and I turned. It was my mother. I gave her a hug and after that she disappeared. I looked back out on the sea and I remembered a faint glow of a smile that made me feel warm. Then the ground opened up and I fell right into consciousness.

My eyes opened and my vision was blurry. I could only see that someone was thrusting something red at my face and that didn't seem to be okay. I backed up against until my back hit something hard. I took a deep a breath and realized I was on a bed. I looked up and there was a girl with a red hand towel. I knew her. It took me a second, but I remembered that she was Annabeth.

She looked at me funny and then threw the towel at me. She signed, 'You drool when you sleep. Wipe your mouth.' Then she turned and left leaving me alone.

My first thought was, "I didn't know Annabeth knew sign language. She had never used it before." The next thought was, "Where the heck am I?"

I wiped my mouth and decided that I couldn't just wait for someone to come talk to me. My attempt to get out of bed went horribly. I had sat on the edge of the bed and slid until my feet hit the ground. Instead of standing up like a normal person, I slid all the way down until I was lying on the floor. My limbs felt like jelly and I allowed my self a moment to gather what dignity I had before I tried to get up again.

I was too late though because someone grabbed my arm and shoulder and pulled me up. I came face to face with Grover and he was laughing. He sat me down in a chair next to the bed and handed me a cup of apple juice and signed for me to drink it.

My hands were shaking though, and I felt my cheeks heat up when Grover had to put a straw in it. It was totally worth it though. Instead of the apple juice I was expecting, it tasted like my mom's blue chocolate chip cookies. I felt a warmth spread throughout my body soothing my aching muscles. I could feel my strength returning. I put the cup on the bedside table and signed, 'Thanks.'

Grover shifter uncomfortably in his normal-not-goat-hooved-feet. So maybe I'd had a nightmare and my mom was okay. We were still on vacation and had to stop at this house to wait out the storm.

Grover shook his head and signed, 'No, it is I who should be thanking you. You saved my life.' He picked up a shoebox that was sitting on the bed and put it in my lap. 'I...well, the least I could do... I went back to the hill. I thought you might want it."

I looked down into the box. Inside was a black-and-white bull's horn, the base jagged from being broken off, the tip splattered with dried blood. With a sinking heart I realized it hadn't been a nightmare.

'The Minotaur,' I fingerspelled.

Grover's eyes widened in alarm and her grabbed my wrists.

"Let's not mention his name." Grover said as he let go of my hands.

I didn't understand why he was so afraid so I signed, 'That's what they call him in the Greek myths isn't it? The Minotaur. Half man, half bull."

Grover shifted uncomfortably. 'Youve been asleep for two days. How much do you remember?'

'My mom. Is she really...'

He looked down and my gaze drifted to the window at the side of the room. I could see a meadow and groves of trees. There was a winding stream and acres of strawberries. There were hills all around us and the tall hill with the pine tree was in front of us. Even that looked beautiful in the sunlight. But my mother was gone. The whole world should be black and cold. Nothing should be beautiful.

I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and turned to see it more clearly.

It was Grover signing, 'Im sorry. I'm a failure. I'm the worst saytr in the world."

He went to sit down on the bed but he tripped and his foot came off. I mean, the Converse high top came off. The inside was filled with styrofoam, except for a hoof shaped hole.

He fumbled for his shoe as he mouthed, "Oh sticks." (A/N:I know that he says Styx but Percy doesn't)

'What are you?' I asked.

'I'm a saytr.' Grover answered.

Everything that has happened was like the myths Mr. Brunner talked about. That's what they are aren't they? Myths? Now I wasn't so sure. I didn't know what was going on and I intended to find out.

'Hades, the Minotaur, and now a saytr. Are there any other of Mr. Brunner's myths I should know about? Is this some huge set up or do I belong in an insane asylum?' I signed.

Speaking of Mr. Brunner he wheeled into the room with Annabeth right behind. He was wearing the same tweed jacket, had the same thinning brown hair and scraggly beard.

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion and I signed, 'Mr. Brunner?'

He smiled. His eyes had the same mischievous glint they sometimes got in class when he pulled a pop quiz and made all the answers B.

'Hello Percy,' he signed, 'It's good to see you awake and better.'

'What are you doing here?,' I asked.

'All in due time my boy.' he signed to me and then he turned to Annabeth and said, "Annabeth, my dear, why don't you go check on Percy's bunk? We'll be putting him in cabin eleven for now." Annabeth nodded and left.

Mr. Brunner then turned to Grover and said, "Grover, why don't you go get ready for the counsel meeting?" Grover looked down and his shoulders moved as if he were sighing. He too then slowly nodded and left.

I looked at Mr. Brunner expectantly.

'How are you feeling?' he asked me.

'Tired and confused.' I signed back.

Mr. Brunner reached next to me to the bed side table. He took a canteen that was there and poured some of that apple juice looking liquid into a glass and gave it to me. I drank it up and felt renewed strength through my limbs. I was ready to run and marathon right then and there.

'Now how do you feel?' Mr Brunner asked again.

'Like I could run a hundred miles!' I grinned.

Mr. Brunner gingerly took the glass out of my hands. 'I think you've had enough of that stuff. Come on, let's go for a walk.'

Sorry it is such a short chapter! I was going to write it longer but then it would have turned into a mega long chapte I know most of you would be okay with that, but you all have been so patient I wanted to give you something at least. The next update will be much longer, and as long as homework doesn't get in the way, the next update should be by Thursday! If not you can definitely expect it to be by Thanksgiving because I will be on break.