~The Poseidon Cabin~

Annabeth drew open the blinds in the Poseidon cabin and went through her morning routine of waking up Percy. That boy really needed to be able to wake up on his own, she had her own cabin to run!

'Percy,' she called, opening one of the windows and sighing as a gentle ocean breeze blew through. 'Rise and shine, Seaweed Brain.'

The wind whispered in her ears, a lingering chill that made her shudder. She drew her grey jumper tighter around her in hopes of being shielded from the cold. But it was never cold in the Poseidon cabin. It was usually a warm summery breeze that filtered through, no matter what the season.

She listened more intently to the wind as it whistled past, almost murmuring something in her ear.

Gone, she heard it sigh. Not here. Gone.

The wind swirled around, fluttering the covers on Percy's bed where he slept, deeply encompassed in sheets and pillows.

Or did he?

Annabeth refused to panic as she remembered what the wind had said. Gone. He couldn't be gone. Could he?

'Percy,' she shouted, a little more anxiously. 'You'll miss breakfast if you don't hurry.'

The bundle under the blankets didn't stir. She crept closer. They didn't even move to indicate breathing. She bit her lip and pulled back the covers.

Her eyes grew wide as she took in the mass of pillows piled under the sheets. But no Percy.

If he wasn't here, where was he? He never got up before Annabeth came around to wake him. He claimed he enjoyed her good morning, wake up kisses. But he wouldn't leave the cabin earlier without telling her not to bother. He must be-

'No,' she muttered. 'No, no, no, no. This can't happen! Not again!'

She felt tears sting her eyes, but she blinked them back. She couldn't afford to be weak just when Percy would need her most. Wherever he was, she was sure he would be with the others.

But if he was gone, that left her with just Leo and Hazel. Not that they weren't any help, because they were. Well, for Leo that was debateable. But then again, he had figured out the goblets and the canes on his own.

She ran out of her boyfriends cabin to find the remaining two.

Leo was herding the Hephaestus kids towards the Mess Hall where they'd found eight keys the previous morning. Hazel was just stepping out of her cabin, yawning and stretching.

'Leo!' Annabeth cried. 'Hazel!'

Judging by their expressions as they rushed over, they understood the hidden panic in her tone just fine. Hazel's eyes flickered to the cabin door behind Annabeth and she paled. Leo pulled a lug wrench from his tool belt and fiddled with it anxiously.

'Is Percy-' Hazel's voice stuttered to a stop.

Annabeth's heart threatened to break down, but she knew she couldn't do that to her friends. She needed them just as much as they needed her. It felt like Tartarus all over again; not being able to rest or falter because someone was always depending on you.

'Oh gods,' Hazel muttered.

'And then there was three,' Leo sighed. 'Latest note, anyone?'

Hazel held up a piece of crumpled parchment, 'I was coming to find you guys. It says, "On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, nine fairy fires, eight snowy messes, seven dancing canes, six Christmas goblets, five wooden sleighs, four working craftsmen, three volar reindeer, two wrapped up presents, and mistletoe up a pine tree." Is it just me or are they getting more confusing?'

'Nine fairy fires,' Annabeth mused. 'Fairy fires. Any ideas?'

Leo shrugged lightly, 'The campfire?'

'But the campfire isn't lit all day every day,' Annabeth reminded him.

Hazel frowned, 'I'm not as familiar with Camp Half-Blood. I don't know much.'

'Fire,' Annabeth said. 'Leo, that's your specialty.'

She and Hazel both, quite usually, turned to him for answers. The fire user flushed pale red and took a step back.

'I'm not sure,' he admitted.

'Okay,' Annabeth looked around in hopes of finding something that would help. 'What comes to mind when you think of fire?'

Leo stiffened and his eyes darkened, 'Is that a bad joke?'

Annabeth covered her face, 'Gods, Leo. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I mean like objects or-'

'I know what you meant,' he relaxed slightly and sighed. 'Okay, so fire; flames, Festus, fireballs, heat, orange, sparklers, soot, fireworks, campfire, marshmallows-'

Leo rattled off everything that popped into his head as Annabeth and Hazel listened intently. Suddenly Annabeth's eye grew wide and she held up her hands.

'Whoa, whoa. Hold up. Go back a few.'

Leo blinked, 'Marshmallows?'

'No,' Annabeth shut her eyes and grabbed the sides of her head. 'Fireworks!'

Slowly, Leo began to grin, 'Fireworks Beach!'

Hazel smiled, 'Great! Where is that?'

'Just on the other side of the woods,' Annabeth pointed. 'We should be able to get there in under ten minutes.'

'Then lets go,' Leo nodded.

~Fireworks Beach~

'This is where we have the fireworks for the fourth of July,' Annabeth explained to the Roman.

'Independents Day, right?' Hazel asked. 'Frank's been trying to teach me.'

Annabeth was about to reply when Leo called out, 'Look!'

Following Leo's finger, the two girls gazed at over the water and spotted several objects floating just off shore. They looked like small glass jars with glowing lights trapped inside.

'Fairy fires,' Leo recalled. 'Fairy lights.'

'We have to go get them,' Hazel announced.

'Let's go,' Annabeth agreed, stepping into the surf, Hazel following suit.

The daughters of Pluto and Athena waded into the water, but turned when they realized Leo wasn't following. The son of Hephaestus was standing awkwardly just out of range of the waves, shuffling his feet while his clothes steamed.

'Uh, Leo,' Annabeth said. 'Aren't you coming?'

He bit his lip, 'Well, you see, water and fire don't really mix well. I don't think its really a good idea...'

His voice trailed off when he realized the two girls were staring at him. He blushed right down to his Adams apples as he cautiously stepped into the surf, muttering under his breath.

'There's more,' Hazel mumbled. 'There's five. Strike that six. No, wait, there's nine.'

'Nine fairy fires,' Leo called from way back. 'Just like the note said.'

Annabeth swam out and grabbed a hold of two that floated side by side. Hazel did likewise with two others while Leo waded out to his waist. He grabbed one that drifted closer to shore.

'There's something inside,' Leo said as the other two gathered the other four. 'It's moving.'

'They're fairies,' Annabeth's teeth chattered, the cold water up to chin. 'Real, living fairies.'

Hazel and Annabeth, laden down with eight jars, headed back to shore where they met Leo, still only waist deep in the water. He grabbed some of the fairy jars and helped the girls to the beach where the three of them shivered uncontrollably.

'Note to self,' Leo muttered. 'Swimming in cold water is cold.'

Hazel let out a short, bark-like laugh as they handed Annabeth all nine jars. When she moved to put them in her enchanted pouch, they shimmered and shrunk until they all fit in her palm.

'That's day nine g-gone,' she shivered. 'That leaves only three left.'

Leo gave them both a wet hug, which surprised the two girls. They stared at him with eyebrows raised.

'What?' he shrugged. 'One of us won't be here tomorrow. I'm saying a sort-of-goodbye.'

Annabeth and Hazel grinned and slung their arms around Leo. Then, arms around each other, the three shivering demigods headed back into through the woods for breakfast and a change of clothes.