So, this just popped into my head, because I was randomly thinking: 'Grover doesn't get enough love' (yahyah, I know he has Juniper, but from the fandom), and I just had to write something for the guy. So this is it. Very short and... well, it might be completely OOC, but I really don't think Riordan elaborated enough on the character, so I sort of went with what I felt like when I read the books (and, admitted, I have a really soft spot for Grover).

Watcher

Despite appearances, Grover isn't stupid.

Sure, even he will admit, he's not the brightest at times. Sometimes, he's the last to catch up, but that pretty much seems to be in the satyr-genes anyway. But beneath the dorky exterior lies a heart of cold, willing to sacrifice everything for his friends.

Friends he knows much better than he lets on.

Because Grover sees.

He realizes he always has: he's always noticed the subtle things, like how Chiron stands in a certain way when he's anxious, how Annabeth touches her bead-necklace when she's sad and the way Luke stopped really smiling when Thalia….

The point is he knows then. Sometimes he feels like he's known them forever. There have been a lot of demi-gods sure, but he can without a doubt say that it started with Luke, Thalia and Annabeth.

And Percy.

They're his greatest friends and Grover thinks he'll do anything for them (he'd die for them, which is a lot when you're a satyr and really just a child even).

When Thalia is gone and all that's left is a tree, Grover finds it fitting somehow: he knows, that when he dies (and he can think it like that, because he's accepted it, ever since he gained something(someone)worth dying for) he'll turn into a plant too and he knows the thought is dark and somehow disturbing, but he feels like a little piece of her is still with him.

And then he has Percy to worry about. Which isn't easy, but Percy stands up for him and accepts him in that easy way and Grover thinks he's the happiest he's been in…. well, almost five years. Because back at Camp, they're still his friends, but Annabeth has stopped wanting to go out to the tree with him and Luke's eyes are becoming more and more flat and cold and Grover knows, he just knows, that there's trouble coming.

When Grover hears of Luke's betrayal (when he sees the shivering, almost-dead form of Percy lying there), he's thinking that maybe he can't see, maybe he's like a blind man, just thinking that everything will always be great and everyone has such kindness in them.

He isn't sure if the smiles where ever real. All he can see is cold eyes and Annabeth crying herself to sleep and Percy with something new, something dark and strange in his face, as he wakes up. He can see it coming, the 'it's either me or him' and he selfishly hopes he isn't there when the finale comes.

It isn't until he walks to the tree that he remembers. He can see clearly, Luke stepping in front of a knife intended for Thalia, Luke smiling at Thalia, helping her down when her fear of heights become too much(again something that Grover knows, though she's never told him, because the look of terror when they had to seek refuge in a tree once wouldn't leave him for days).

Maybe that's why he's so shocked: shocked that Luke can leave this place, the last reminder of the girl he had to have loved (or else Grover really is blind). He's even more shocked when they tell him that Luke had poisoned the tree (because it isn't just a tree, it's Thalia and no matter how dead they think she is, Grover can still feel that last bit of energy, the courage as she sacrificed herself to let them escape, linger in the leaves).

But then Thalia's back and Grover isn't surprised: he thinks it's the only way Luke could have gotten himself to do it. Luke had to have known that it would end with the return of Zeus' daughter. He has to and to Grover, it proves that he loves her enough to be willing to risk it.

Grover doesn't want to admit it, but the hope that still shines in Annabeth's eyes is with him too. He wants to believe in the boy who so bravely fought through monsters and pain and dead. Even if he can't recognize his old friend anymore.

He isn't surprised however, when Thalia fights (and wins) over Luke and ultimately joins the Eternal Hunt. He's seen it coming for quite some time now, but he's subtle (yes, he can hardly believe it himself!) enough not to say anything to anyone, least of all her. She's been faltering ever since her return and though he already misses her terribly, he can see that this is the best path for her. But Luke is still out there.

Grover thinks he hasn't been this broken since he thought Percy had died. He feels like everyone else is moving too fast, like he doesn't have control of anything. And then all of the sudden, it's over and Luke is gone and Grover (almost) has everything he's ever dreamed of.

And he isn't surprised when the other Campers proudly boast of how they threw Percy and Annabeth in the river, after they'd found them kissing. Because, really, the signs had been there for years. Still, he acts surprised, bleats a few comments and concerns in their direction ('honestly, you're going to kill each other before the week is over!') but he smiles and almost cries with joy (but really, he doesn't, because that wouldn't be very Elder-like now, would it?) and he thinks that things are finally starting to look up.

Because, despite it all, Grover sees and knows his friends, possibly better than anyone.