TERRIFIED . . . annabeth chase

eleven.

"VAL? VAL? IS that you?"

Damn it. Val had wanted to get away with walking by Annabeth's balcony for no reason, but of course that wouldn't happen.

She opened the door and stepped onto the balcony, raising an eyebrow. "Did you need anything?"

Annabeth frowned at her. "Did you sleep today?"

"Of course I did," Val sipped at her coffee carefully. It was hot, but she'd learnt to deal with it a long time ago. "Did you need something, Annie?"

"Yeah," Annabeth shifted. "Uh, could you get me dressed? I need to fight."

Val frowned. "Are you sure? I could easily make up for what you could—"

"Ali, I need to help," Annabeth looked up at her pleadingly. "Please?"

Val could never deny her of anything. "Yeah, of course," she sighed. "Sit up."

"You're not planning to have sex with me, are you?"

"Shut it," Val smiled at Annabeth, rolling her eyes as she grabbed a loose fitting shirt, pulled the old shirt off and pulled it on. Changing Annabeth's pants was difficult, as Val couldn't stop thinking about when her face was between those legs, but she'd managed. "Want your armor on too?"

"Of course. I'm not suicidal like you," Annabeth snorted, standing up and smiling down at her. "But, really, thanks, V. I owe you."

"It's nothing, really," Val said as she put on Annabeth's armor, topping it off with a helmet that she grimaced at the sound of. "You can go down. I need a moment."

Annabeth frowned at her. "You're alright, yeah?"

"Course I am," Val sent what should've been a reassuring smile to her as she picked up her coffee and took a sip. "Don't you trust me?"

"Fine." Annabeth leaned in to kiss her once. "Thank you, again."

She left, and Val stared out at the view below her. Oh, how could she have fallen for someone like Annabeth Chase?

Val knew exactly why, but she decided not to dwell on it as she turned on her heel and went down the stairs.

Thalia and the head counselors were waiting at the Reservoir. The lights of the city were blinking on at twilight. Street lamps glowed around the shore of the lake, making the water and trees look even spookier, but strangely pretty.

"They're coming," Thalia confirmed, pointing north with a silver arrow. "One of my scouts just reported they've crossed the Harlem River. There was no way to hold them back. The army . . ." She shrugged. "It's huge."

"We'll hold them at the park," Percy said. "Grover, you ready?"

Grover nodded. "As ready as we'll ever be. If my nature spirits can stop them anywhere, this is the place."

"Yes, we will!" said another voice. A very old, fat satyr pushed through the crowd, stumbling over his own spear. He was dressed in wood-bark armor that only covered half of his belly.

"Leneus?" Percy said.

"Don't act so surprised," he huffed. "I am a leader of the Council, and you did tell me to find Grover. Well, I found him, and I'm not going to let a mere outcast lead the satyrs without my help!"

Behind Leneus's back, Grover made gagging motions, but the old satyr grinned like he was the savior of the day. "Never fear! We'll show those Titans!"

Percy cleared her throat. "Um . . . yeah. Well, Grover, you won't be alone. Annabeth and the Athena cabin will make their stand here. And me, and . . . Thalia?"