chapter three; marie tackles the dream realm.

     'Find Percy Jackson'. Easier said than done.

Grover stood anxiously in front of Marie. Her eyes were closed and under the skin of her eyelids he could see the balls of her eyes flickering left to right.

The storm was rumbling around them. Thunder clapped and lightning struck, startling the Satyr who was already on edge and soaked through to his fur from the long hours of wandering the streets of New York in the pouring rain.

"Marie, I don't want to interrupt-".

"But you are," Marie didn't open her mouth to speak. Grover heard her in his head, invading his mind as she did the dreams and nightmares of New York's sleeping children.

There was an unsettling edge to her soothing and quiet voice that made a shiver run down Grover's spine. No matter how many times she did that, he'd never get used to it.

"Yes. I am," Grover shifted on his hooves uncomfortably. His shoes and fake feet had been left in an alley somewhere when Marie led them to their third wrong turn. "How-how much longer is this going to take?" Marie hummed, it made Grover's brain buzz like electricity. "No rush, just..." Grover's voice trailed off.

Each dream was different. Some were filled with laughter and enjoyment as children played in their conjured up fantasies. In others, Marie heard the echoes of screams and frightened cries before the child startled awake, severing their connection to Marie and Dream's Realm.

Marie was losing hope. They'd spent hours looking for Percy, betting his life on how often he daydreamed. Marie had gone to the Jackson's apartment but his stepfather was very unhelpful and angrily declared that Marie had pulled him away from his poker game for no reason. When he slammed the door, it almost broke off the hinges.

The dreams came and went in flickers of colours and emotions. Marie could feel her energy draining. She'd need a long nap when they got back to camp. If they got back to camp.

Then she saw him.

The rain was somehow heavier and the thunder shook Marie's bones. Percy was standing on a beach, his hair and clothes soaked. He stared out to the ocean but instead of fast tumbling waves, thrashing against the shore, he was looking at a ghostly figure in the distance. It's dark, flowing body illuminated by a dim lantern.

"Who are you?" Marie's heart pounded in her chest. She hadn't heard that voice in months. It made her stomach churn uneasily. Percy didn't move. He didn't answer. Marie wanted to tell him to wake up, to put an end to the nightmare. He wouldn't hear her, "So weak. So scared. So sad. Run away, little hero, before you get hurt".

Percy woke with a jolt and in the haze as he blinked away the fright of the nightmare, Marie caught a glimpse of his surroundings. He was in a car, parked outside of a beach cabin. It was still storming wherever he was and Marie could hear the ocean lapping against the sand.

The sky and the sea were angry.

Marie's eyes shot open. Her body slumped and Grover caught her arms, holding her up. "Found him-" Marie inhaled a sharp breath, "He's at the beach... Cabin," Marie mumbled.

It was little to nothing to go off but a spark lit up Grover's soft brown eyes, "Montauk?" Marie straightened up with a shrug. She'd never heard of it, "Of course, Montauk," Grover tapped his forehead and Marie wiped her eyes, as if that would rid the remnants of Percy's dream from her mind.

"Grover, please elaborate".

     One chaotic taxi journey to Long Island later, Marie and Grover were battling against the strong winds that blew across Montauk's beach, showering them with the freezing sea water as well as the rain that had not let up.

Cabin after cabin, they'd peer through the windows in search of the familiar blonde and his mother, unsure of which cabin they stayed in every year. Most were empty, besides one which was home to an elderly couple. The grey haired wife and husband almost jumped out of their skin and into their lit fireplace when Marie knocked her knuckles against the door and Grover pressed his face up against the glass pane of the wooden door.

Something was close by, stalking their every move. Its smell carried in the storm, making it impossible for Grover to locate the monster as they ran to the last cabin.

Multiple lamps, at least ten, lit up the cabin. Shadows casted over the cosily decorated beach home and beside the burning fire, that provided extra light and warmth to the cabin, was Percy and his mother. Sally Jackson was sitting down, the dim orange glow, highlighting the sadness on her face. Percy stood in front of her with his back to the door. Marie could only hope that Sally had been given enough time.

Grover didn't waste a second. He knocked on the door, startling the mother and son inside the cabin. Percy looked over his shoulder and Sally shouted, "Who's there?".

"Mrs Jackson? It's Grover and Marie-" Grover answered. Percy's mother jumped up off the couch and Percy stared at them, his brows knitted with confusion, "This is a little time sensitive. Could someone maybe open the door?" Grover asked. He looked over his shoulder for the hundredth time.

Sally walked across the cabin and unlocked the door while Percy protested that he didn't want to see Grover and why was his teacher there? If it was about returning to Yancy or writing an apology to Nancy, he'd tell her to get stuffed.

Sally pulled the door open, only half way and faced Grover and Marie, her eyes flickering between the two, "I asked to have the night, you said we could all leave in the morning," She said.

"That was the plan, Mrs Jackson. Things are-" In the rumble of thunder, Marie was certain she heard a loud huff, it made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

Grover heard it too, or maybe he sensed that whatever was chasing them was close. If they had stuck to the original plan, Marie doubted that the Jackson's would have made it to dawn.

"Sorry, we're early," Grover apologised, "but we didn't have any choice. Things have changed, this is all developing a lot faster than we anticipated," Grover spoke in a rush.

"Early?" Percy asked. Sally looked at her son and opened the door further for Marie and Grover to enter the cabin. It was warm, cosy and if Marie stayed any longer than necessary she could see herself falling asleep while standing, "You should have asked me before you-" He was annoyed at Grover, Marie couldn't say she was surprised. "Whatever it is you're gonna say, I don't wanna... hear it," Percy's voice trailed off as he stared at Grover's legs. "Grover?".

"Percy," Grover nodded, rubbing his hands together. He turned his attention to Sally, "Okay, so something's coming and I know that sounds really bad," Percy said his name again, "but the important thing is not to panic," Grover told Mrs Jackson.

Sally shook her head, "I'm not panicking".

"Grover!" Percy was almost shouting.

"Great!" Grover was doing an excellent job at ignoring Percy. "I'm also definitely not panicking. I feel very good about how we're doing so far and Marie, she never pan-".

"Grover!" Percy shouted. Grover turned his head to look at Percy and asked 'What?'. Percy was still looking at Grover's legs, "Grover, why is there half a goat in your pants?" Percy asked.

"Oh, it's..." Grover looked down at his legs, "Oh! Oh, boy," Grover's eyes widened, "she didn't tell you about," Grover looked back at Sally, "You didn't tell him about me?" Grover asked.

"You're early," Sally answered.

Grover fiddled with his hands, "So the important thing is not to panic," Grover said.

Knowing that they really didn't have a lot of time, Marie spoke up, "We should really be leaving," Marie said.

Sally nodded, "We'll continue this in the car," Sally gave Marie a small smile as she walked past her. She might have been annoyed that her time with her son was coming to an end but she was grateful for both Marie and Grover, "Let's go".

The car ride was awkward. Marie could handle awkward. Chaos because whatever monster was after them was right on their tail? Marie was hoping they'd get closer to Camp Half-Blood before anything like that happened.

"My job has been to guide you to this moment. It's always an emotional rollercoaster for a young demigod so providing a support system is really-".

"Who are you?" Percy interrupted Grover.

"I'm Grover. I'm your best friend and-".

Percy glanced down at Grover's legs. He and Marie sat in the back of the car. Percy sat in the passenger seat, looking over his shoulder, "What are you?" Percy asked.

Grover took his beanie off his head. His two horns had grown quite a bit and were poking out the top of his curly hair, "I'm a satyr. And I'm your Protector," Grover answered.

Percy almost looked like he'd laugh, "You're my protector?" Percy asked.

"If I hadn't gotten you kicked out of school, you'd have never survived the night. And what's chasing us now would have found you there easily," Percy looked forward and Grover shook his head, "I'm sorry," He glanced down at his hands, "Usually, I can sense danger coming a mile away, but this time... Well, none of us saw Dodds coming".

Percy turned to Grover, "So you knew. That thing that Dodds turned into, you saw it happen? Why didn't you say anything?" Percy asked.

"I saw some of it," Grover argued, "The Mist kept her hidden even from us until it was too late," Grover said.

Marie scratched her forehead. That was a little white lie. They'd known about Alecto for a while. She was a monster, they knew that. She'd given herself away to Marie not long after the demigod began working at Yancy. Chiron had ordered Marie to keep a closer eye on Dodds and until the Museum, Marie hadn't known who she really was.

"Mist? What's a mist?" Percy asked.

"The Mist. It's the veil that hides the magical world from the human world. My legs. Miss Becerra's teaching. Dodds' wings. Even Dodds' absence, but it isn't supposed to hide things from me. That never happens. Something powerful is at work here. The sooner we get you to camp, the better off you're- You told him about camp, right?" Grover leaned forward in his seat as he spoke to Mrs Jackson.

"Not yet, no," Sally responded.

Percy was staring at his mother, "Camp is a sanctuary for half-bloods. A safe space where you can learn who you are and what the world is like on the other side of the Mist. Uh, it's not far, actually, just a little ways past the bend up there," Grover pointed up the road.

"Mom, what else haven't we talked about? What else haven't you told me?" Percy asked.

There was zap, similar to the sound of lightning striking but much more frightening as what followed was somehow more terrifying than the god of thunder who could at least see reason from time to time. The road shook and under the streetlight that exploded into orange, Marie and Grover could make out the silhouette of a huge monster as it charged at them.

"Is that the Minotaur?" Percy asked.

"Once the attacks start, they never let up," Grover began, "Okay? Dodds was just the beginning. He is next. He- he is brutal," Grover pointed at the Minotaur, "He is relentless".

"He is still wearing underpants," Percy noticed.

Grover leaned forward, "The Mythomagic cards were training. Everything has been training for what's still ahead of you," Grover told Percy.

"What's ahead of me?" Percy asked.

"Boys? Marie," Sally was trying not to panic but the road was slippery and the Minotaur was closing in.

"I'm actually 24," Grover added, "And Marie's dad is the Sandman," Grover spoke quickly as if those two things had been eating him alive since he met Percy.

Sally struggled with the wheel, "Hold on, please," Sally's voice was drowned out by the Minotaur's growls and huffs. The monster was running beside them, staring at Sally through her window.

Without another warning, Sally slammed the car into the Minotaur. It knocked the monster momentarily but the Minotaur was strong, much stronger than Sally Jackson had anticipated. The monster attacked the car, shattering the driver's window with one of its large horns.

Glass sprayed over the car and Marie's ring buzzed as it itched to be activated. Grover was frantic beside her. They were dead, that was his only thought. The Minotaur's horn jammed in the steering wheel and a bright light, accompanying a blaring truck horn, alerted Sally to the vehicle heading straight for them.

Authors note!!
So um, lumarie is coming next chapter. I'm scared.
I'm also planning a Heroes of Olympus/ Leo Valdez fic with a daughter of Athena oc...