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Kronos had kept whispering to him through out the whole night and Luke hadn’t gotten proper sleep.

Dear Diary Hal,

We I have decided that the best course of action will be to try get Grover off the island. And take him abroad the Princess Andromeda.

He will be helpful to the cause and possibly secondarily as a captive to exchange for the fleece. If Percy is willing to. Which I think he might be.

I like Grover and I hope he will see how this is the right choice for the betterment of our all future. If I am able to sway him, he might be a useful spy too. 
Way more helpful than Chris and Silena at least. They are great and helpful, but neither are close to Chiron, Percy or Annabeth.

I don’t enjoy letting some spy on Annabeth. Or Percy for that matter. But it’s a necessary evil, considering they aren’t willing to join us just yet. I’m sure I will be able to convince them eventually. So we can win together. As a family.

I’m going to use the fleece on the tree once we have resurrected the Titan Lord, to try and resurrect Thalia. The lord said it would work. (I hope when I get Thalia back, she will be as old as me. I miss having someone around my age to talk to.
I miss her.)
Sure I have Alison. But I never loved Alison. She was is just a friend. I hate that I never got over Thalia. I miss Thalia.

There is Collin. There had been Collin. But I didn’t stop loving Thalia. Just started loving Collin too. And then he died. Too. Why do they all have to die?
Maybe if Thalia comes back it will be fine. No death there. Anymore at least.

I hope death is treating you better than life is treating me Hal.

Til next time,
Luke

Luke wondered when he started addressing his diary entries to Hal.
It couldn’t have been that long. Maybe since he defected. Probably since he defected. He could just check, but the idea to open his completed diaries filled him with dread. He didn’t want to look at that.
He had felt closer to that stranger ever since.

Occasionally he tried to see Hal in Alison, but they were so different that he always failed. They all had been wronged by the gods. And he was there to fix that.

Alison also had the ability to look into the future like Hal. Though she was way less gloomy about it when it came to Luke himself, than Hal was. Luke appreciated that.

He should have started planning the ‘how’ of getting Grover onto the ship, but instead he was contemplating his dead loved ones. And his mom. On the rare occasion.

Thalia and Collin felt more present in his life everyday that passed, even though their deaths got further away with each one.
Collin’s laugh and jokes in the back of his mind Luke wondered what he would say to this. Probably something about proper war strategy and how we could always figure out a way where no one got hurt. It was ironic to think about. When he was the reason Luke was siding with Kronos. Him and Thalia. And his mom.

Luke would be able to convince Collin that this was the right way. Surely. Collin would understand him. It was Hermes fault Collin was dead after all. So he would understand.

Thalia would be on his side too. Luke knew that deep down. Even if Annabeth didn’t think so. Annabeth would realise that it would be the right choice to join him.
Eventually.
And Luke would make sure no one hurt her til then.

Alison wasn’t happy with his decisions when it came to Annabeth. Or Grover, Percy and Tyson for that matter.
But Kronos had chosen him as the commander of the army. Not Alison. So his decision was the important one.

Kronos also wasn’t happy about his unnecessary attachment to Annabeth and Grover. But Alison didn’t have to know that.
He only liked it as far as it was useful. Luke could feel that, when he conversed with him.
Sometimes when he was in the room with the coffin and thought of them he could almost feel the disapproving look of Kronos on his back.

A look that felt more like an indescribable wave of… Luke didn’t have a word for it. Maybe resentment?
But that didn’t encapsulate what he felt.
It felt like a detaching band-aid over a gaping hole that tried to create, maybe fix, a bridge that could not be fixed.

Luke noticed he had been drumming his fingers on the desk so he got up instead. He had to think. Think about how he could get Grover!

Alison had a vision that the camp demigods would pass the Princess Andromeda soon, but that wasn’t useful. It was hard to get someone out of water if they were surrounded by other people, who would most definitely try to stop them from getting the person.

Something whispered at the back of his mind, but Luke pointedly ignored it. He had intentionally distanced himself as much as possible from Kronos coffin. He didn’t want him interfering with his planning. And still Kronos reached him.
Pacing up and down the room Luke tried to shut off his mind. Without avail.

Kronos voice got louder with every second that passed. Luke couldn’t even understand what he was saying. Just feel it. The idea that was forming in his head was foreign. He hated it. It was the best idea he had.

Backbiter was calling for him. Almost singing. Singing a song of success and happiness. Why there would be happiness was incomprehensible to Luke. He only felt stressed. At all times.
The idea of being happy, wasn’t even in the realm of possibilities right now.

-

Luke went to pick up backbiter and put on his holster. He placed the sword in the holster.
Backbiter felt heavier than ever before. Like it was trying to pull him down into the nothing.
He should start. But everything felt so heavy.
It felt like Backbiter was vibrating, but when Luke looked at the sword it was still.

In a sudden fit of rage he ripped off the holster and threw the sword through the room. The sword clanked against the wall.
He wasn’t ready. Kronos disapproving voice echoed in the back of his mind. It was still impossible to decipher what he actually said. Luke ignored it.
He bolted out of the admiral suite and ran!
Ran as far away from it as possible. Just away from the nagging voice of Kronos that ordered him to start.
He wasn’t ready!

The thuds from his feet were impossible loud in his ears. His lungs were burning. He was running into mist drunk mortals and army members a like. Always just bolting through anyway.
When Luke finally found a hidden little corner at the very end of the cruise ship he hid in it. It was a small utility room from what he could tell.

He sat down on the floor and leaned  onto the wall. The darkness surrounding him like a cool blanket. Thinking about Grover and Thalia again, his mind wandered to when he first met Grover.

The memory of the absolutely embarrassing crush he had also resurfaced. He recoiled whenever he remembered he had a small, short lived crush on Grover, when he was 14.
Luke hadn’t been particularly proud of that crush. It was before he knew about Satyrs weird aging system.
Thinking back Luke wasn’t sure if it could even be called a crush. It had been more of a ‘Oh, he looks cute’.
He had crushed on people quite easily at 14. Cute girl from across the street of where their hideout was. Cute boy at the register who let him steal food even though he had seen it.
When Grover showed up it felt like it made sense to add him to his crush list. Thalia liked him too. They’d have been a good little family.

Luke had never lost that feeling of being a parent to Annabeth. Even if he always just called her his little sister. He felt like he raised her more than Frederick Chase ever did.

Thinking of Annabeth inevitably made him think of Collin again. The only person he ever really caught feelings for after Thalia. Not some silly teenage crush he only saw a few times, but real actual feelings.
And then he died. Just like Thalia did.

Any time he fell in love with someone they died at the hands of the gods in some way. After Collins death he had shut himself off. Not just because of the scar or the disappointment he felt oozing out of every pore of his cabin mates, but also because there wasn’t really anyone left to talk to, to care about, besides Annabeth and Grover. And they were children. He couldn’t bother them with his hurt and pain.

How even though he downed nectar as soon as possible after the dragon had slashed his face open, it only fixed the look on the outside, so it wasn’t a gaping hole of flesh anymore, but a perfectly healed scar. The pain never stopped. It just became invisible. The scar was hurting for months paired with unbarebale itching. Luke scratched it bloody in his sleep constantly. Not that anyone ever noticed. He’d drink nectar or eat ambrosia before anyone even noticed the blood.

His face hurt, when he had moved his facial muscles too much. So any time he did smile, it was rewarded with pain.
Eventually it got easier to pretend. It hurt the same. No one could tell anymore though.

Getting slashed by the Ladon did that to you. Even if the evidence completely disappeared, the wound would still fester. And no one would even believe you.

Collin would have believed him.
After Thalia had died Luke went to talk to the tree whenever he missed her and needed to talk to her. But he didn’t have that sort of anchor with Collin.
Only his scar was there. But it was a rather painful reminder.
He tried to focus on something else, but didn’t work. His scar began pulsing in a painful burning way. Kronos was at the back of his mind again. Calling for him to finally start.

-

When the door of the closet opened Luke startled. Once he realised that it was Alison turning on the light he relaxed. He would just ignore her. The light was stinging in his eyes. He hated it.

“Who are you thinking about so sternly.” Alison sat down next to him and bumped her shoulder into his.
“It’s my exes dead brother. Isn’t it.”
Luke ignored her.

“Is it Grover? You really have to get it together about the kidnapping.”
Luke bit is tongue so he wouldn’t snap at Alison. How’d she even know that. He had planned on only telling the army afterwards. The fact that she called it kidnapping made Luke feel worse.

Instead of answering her, Luke finally looked up and fixated on Alison.
“How did you even find me.”

“I just followed the trail of sadness.”
Alison shrugged.

“You can smell sadness?” Luke arched his brows.

“Let’s say yes.” Alison’s face was unreadable. Her eyes were slightly squinted.

“Okay…” Luke let that sink in for a moment.

“Any other emotions you can ‘smell’?” He intentionally put quotation marks around the word, because he was certain it wasn’t actually a smell, but something else. The only ones who could actually feel the emotions of others were Satyrs as far as Luke knew.

Grover had explained to him that it was like the emotions were reflected onto them. They would feel exactly what their opposite felt. Grover had said that it made it hard to distinguish your own emotions.

“Fear. Happiness. Rage. Rage smells quite nice actually. It’s energising.” Alison cracked a smile that let Luke know that he couldn’t really trust any of this.
Alison was lying through her teeth.
She had to.

The realisation hit him in the gut.
“Kronos send you. Didn’t he? To get me out of my sulking and to work.”

“I…” Alison immediately dropped her attempt at denial when Luke looked into her eyes. “Yes. He… I don’t know. It felt like I had to say all that.”
Luke just nodded.

“I mean… he’s right. I should get to work.” With a resigned puff of air Luke pushed himself off the wall.
“Let’s go!” Luke reached his hand for Alison to get up.

-

Backbiter was burning hot when Luke cut the openings through reality. He still didn’t know the proper words to describe it.
Something in him screamed to drop the sword. He surely would have blistering burns when he let go.

Luke took a leap through the portal. The swishing echoing in his ear as he landed on Polyphemus island.
Looking at his hands there were no blisters. He put Backbiter into his holster.

It wasn’t like he was really kidnapping Grover anyway. He was saving him.
Luke kept telling himself that the closer he got to the cave. If he was lucky maybe he’d get the fleece too. It was secondary though.
Grover would be good enough leverage to exchange for the fleece anyway. It wasn’t like he would keep it for long. Only to help Kronos rise. Then he’d give it to them to resurrect Thalia. The Lord had promised him it would work.

Luke instinctively knew where to doge traps. Following Kronos brought along these perks sometimes.

Luke arrived at the tree where the Golden Fleece was hanging. For a second he was confused as to why his instincts Kronos would lead him here, but then he saw the deep hole leading to the cave.

Polyphemus was stomping around under him. Luke untied his sword holster and quietly dropped it in the grass.
He dropped to the ground and crawled towards the hole.

Peeking into the cave he saw a new problem. Clarisse La Rue!

Clarisse being there wasn’t exactly ideal, but Luke could work around it.
He started to search through his light sailor’s kitbag. There it was! Luke grinned.

He dropped an anaesthetic potion, that the Hecate children of the army had developed, into the cave. The inaudible explosion would put everyone down there to sleep. Even a millennial old cyclops.

Quickly hiding again, covering his mouth and nose with the mask Alabaster had given him in case he used the potion. He waited for a few minutes. Al had said it would be done after a minute, but Luke wanted to be extra careful.
He did not like the idea of being knocked out on the island of a dangerous, powerful cyclops.

Once he felt it was safe to do so he took off the mask and grabbed the first rope out of the sailor’s kitbag and tied it together in a way to creat a mechanism, that would allow him to lower himself into the cave, fixing it on the tree.
The second rope he prepared in a slightly different way, so he’d be able to lift Grover out easily.

Carefully dropping down to the bottom of the cave he reconsidered his plans for this rescue.
He knew he couldn’t leave Clarisse here if he wanted to have any chance of getting Grover on his side. Demigods safety always came first to Grover. Luke pitied him for that. Grover needed to be less selfless, for his own good.

He hit the floor with his feet and untied himself from the rope.
Polyphemus had collapsed near the entrance outside of the light that fell down into the cave through the hole.
Grover and Clarisse were tied together back to back near the fire. Miraculously they hadn’t fallen to the ground after being knocked out.
Luke suspected it was because of how they were tied together.

Looking around he decided he would get them out still being tied together. It would be heavier, but he had intentionally created a pulley system with the second rope, so it would work out.

Grabbing the second rope he got to work figuring out how to safely secure both of them.
Once that was done he climbed back up with his rope and started to pull Grover and Clarisse out of the cave.
His muscles were screaming under the weight the longer he had to pull, but he succeeded eventually. He secured the rope on the tree and grabbed the dangling satyr and demigoddess.

After he untied the two and put the rope back into his kitbag, he picked up Clarisse to carry her down to the beach. Sure it was risky to leave her, but it was riskier to take her onto the Princess Andromeda.

At the beach he hid her in a nook between rocks that were far enough away from the shore.
He was certain Percy, Annabeth and Tyson would show up eventually and save her.

-

Back at the top of the hill he picked up Backbiter to carve a way onto the Princess Andromeda again.

Once the blueish white light was shimmering in the correct way he threw his sailor’s kitbag onto his shoulders and picked up Grover carefully. Luke jumped through.

-

The night back on the Andromeda was horrible. The army was mad at him for not telling them earlier about the kidnapping, Luke hated that they called it that. He was saving Grover, but there was no point arguing.

Luke asked Olek and Alabaster to be in the room with Grover in case he woke up in the middle the night. Kronos wouldn’t allow him to sleep near the satyr, but Luke thought the two might be the next best option. They’d take turns sleeping.
Luke went to bed in hopes he’d be spared nightmares.

-

Luke was 14 again, playing capture the flag for the first time, facing of to a skilled and charming Collin.
If Luke hadn’t known Collin as an Athena kid, he would have been certain he was from the Aphrodite cabin.

Collin’s afro was sticking out at the bottom of the helmet and his smile let Luke forget he was there to grab the flag.

“Hey newbie! Did they send you out to get the flag? Quite the daring idea. You think you can beat me in sword fighting?” Collin began to circle around Luke.
“If you beat me, I’ll give you the flag!” Luke’s opponent quipped. At least Luke thought he was joking.

“Deal!” Luke had fought enough monsters to feel like he had a chance. Just that he couldn’t just stab Collin, like he did with monsters.

“I’ll be gentle.” The Athena son joked.
Luke sprung into acting in that moment and tried to land his first hit. Failing embarrassingly. Collin blocked his hit and started attacking.

Luke’s training sword and Collin’s sword clacked together loudly. Luke was full of energy in a way he hadn’t been since Thalias death.

Suddenly it wasn’t Collin’s sword colliding with Luke’s training sword anymore.
It was Thalias spear and Backbiter in Luke’s hand. Instead of Collin’s mischievous smile and warm eyes it was fury filled eyes and an angrily distorted expression on Thalia that was staring back at Luke through the fight.

“I hate you!” Thalia shouted while she increased her brutality in fighting Luke.
Luke was still 14.
Being overpowered by an angry Thalia Grace. Dropping Backbiter and cowering in the gra- it wasn’t grass anymore. It was gravel on sandy ground.

When he looked up again Collin was there again. Reaching out a soft hand for Luke to grab.
“Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to go this hard on you.”

Luke tentatively took Collins hand and let himself be pulled up.
“You’re good!” Collin smiled and Luke didn’t know if this was about his sword skills or what Thalia had shouted.

“I love you Luke!” Collin was 19 and Luke 17 now. Still standing on stony ground. Luke noticed the blood spluttering out of Collin’s chest. Claw marks from a fury appeared with every passing second. This wasn’t how Collin had died. This was like Thalia had died.

The blood was coating Luke and he was staring back at Thalia again. “I’m sorry Luke!” She was crying. Pinching her mouth together as to not completely loose it. She never allowed herself that in front of Luke. Even in death apparently.

Luke couldn’t move. He wanted to hold Thalia. Maybe it would make it less painful.

Collin was staring back at him again. Blood spilling out of his mouth in surges as he spat: “You are a monster!”

Luke flinched back. He could finally move, but it didn’t matter. He felt his eyes burn and hot tears started streaming down his face.

The switches between Collin and Thalia became so quick they blurred into each other.
They both looked so angry with him.  Luke didn’t know what he did wrong. Why they hated him.

-

Luke woke up in cold sweat. His whole bed was damp. He could feel the tears on his face. Hopefully he could forget that dream soon.

Luke checked the clock on his nightstand. It was in the middle of the night. Grumbling to himself he got out of the bed to change the sheets and put on new pyjamas. Otherwise he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep again.

It felt like he was in cabin 11 again helping a demigod who had woken up from a nightmare. Just that he was doing it for himself instead. Instead of treating himself with gentleness, wiping off the tears with a tissue and getting a sip of water, he just did the bare minimum. 

Sheets off. Clean ones on. Dirty sheets into the corner of the room. Same with the pyjamas. That was tomorrow’s Luke’s problem.

There was a knock at the door.
Who could bother him at this time? Throwing over robe, he went to open the door.

A crying Alabaster on the other side, wasn’t what he had expected.
“Hey! Al, what happened?”, he said softly.
Luke reached out to carefully cradle the boy’s face, but dropped his hands before he actually did. “Come in!” Luke nodded towards the inside of the room. His own tears were long forgotten.

Alabaster was Annabeth’s age, and one of the few younger army members. The ones that still came to him, if they needed their old cabin councillor.

Alabaster sniffed and rubbed his eyes. With a shaky voice he said: “I’m sorry!”

“Hey, it’s fine. Don’t worry! Now come in!” Luke gestured for him to come in again.

Alabaster followed suit and Luke shut the door behind him.
“Now. What happened Al?” Luke smiled at him softly. The sting in his cheek was worth it.
It was so dark in his room, that Alabaster probably didn’t even see it.

Luke went over to turn on the bathroom light so they’d have enough light to see each other’s faces properly, but not enough so his eyes would hurt too badly. Luke sat down on the carpeted floor in front of his bed and padded the spot next to him.

Alabaster sat down, but it took another minute or two before he started speaking: “Had a nightmare. Olek is doing the rest of the shift.”

“Okay.” Luke smiled again.

“Luke?” Alabaster pulled at his shirt. “Can I sleep here?” He avoided Luke’s eyes.

“Sure. I’ll get my sleeping bag. You can take the bed. Just please get your pyjamas and change. I just changed the sheets.” Luke smiled again.

Alabaster nodded and got up. “I’ll be right back!”

Luke watched as Alabaster sprinted out of the room. Sure he was glad to sleep in his own room for the first time, since he ran away from home, but he didn’t mind sharing the room if it helped Alabaster get rest.

The boy struggled to let himself rest in general. It reminded Luke of Annabeth.

He got his sleeping bag and a sleeping mat out of the wardrobe.
The sleeping mat was one of the fancy ones that could self inflate.
A treasured luxury.

It knocked on the door again. “Come in!” Luke answered.

Alabaster entered and beelined to the bed. “Thank you Luke!”

“No problem. If you want to talk about the dream, I’m here. If not, that’s okay too.” Luke went to turn off the bathroom light and got into his sleeping bag.

“Good night, Luke”, Alabaster whispered.

“Good night, Alabaster” Luke whispered back.

-

Luke woke up around seven. Alabaster, for some unknown reason, had decided to sleep in a sleeping bag next to Luke instead of the bed, he had been lying in when Luke fell asleep.
He chuckled.

Getting up and ready felt like an exhausting task. His back and neck were hurting. He felt more exhausted than yesterday after taking Grover onto the Princess Andromeda.
Luke did it anyway.

As he opened the door to leave his room he was met with a startled Olek with a raised fist like he was about to knock.
“Olek! Hi!” Luke stepped out and closed the door quietly behind him.

“Hi Luke! I wanted to let you know that I’m leaving my position as the guard of the hostage.” Luke winced at the word.
“Okay! No problem. Did he wake up by now?”

“No. Not yet.” Olek answered promptly.

“Okay thank you. I’ll go to the room.” Luke just smiled at them and walked past.

Luke unlocked the door of Grover’s new room.
The satyr was still asleep when Luke entered the room.
He was snoring quietly with an occasional barely audible meh.

Luke was going to ignore his responsibilities until Grover was awake.
He pulled up the chair that was at the desk in this room and sat down next to the head of the bed.
Luke watched as the boy’s chest rose and sank calmly.

-

“Hey Grover!” Luke smiled down at Grover, when he finally woke up.

“Luke?” Grover blinked up at him barely awake yet.
“Luke what are you doing here? There is a Cyclops here. You have to leave!” There was a quick moment of realisation on Grover’s face that he wasn’t actually in the cave anymore.

“You’re safe! I saved you!” Luke smiled at him brightly.

“You what?” Grover instinctively backed away a bit, back pressed against the wall now and Luke flinched.

“I saved you Grover!” Luke repeated. Hoping his desperateness wasn’t obvious.

“Where is Clarisse? Is she here too?” Grover looked around the room like he was trapped and scanning for escapes. Another sting.

“No, but I got her out of the cave and away from Polyphemus too. I was there to save you. Not her.” Luke hoped that would calm down Grover a bit.

“Where did you bring her Luke?” Grover’s emphasis on his name made Luke shiver.

“Hid her on the island. She will be fine. Annabeth and Percy are going to show up on the island soon and rescue her. You know Annabeth!”
Luke hoped Grover would trust him.

“Did you take the fleece?” Grover tilted his head. His voice was weirdly kind again. He sounded like he did when Luke met him for the first time.

“No, I was just there to save you.” That wasn’t the full truth, but Luke didn’t want to divulge all that to Grover.

“Alison said she was looking for the fleece, when I met her before Polyphemus took me. What was that about then? Why not take the fleece and me?” Grover’s eyes looked sadder with every second. He was looking at Luke how he looked at Thalia’s tree all those years ago.

“I don’t know.” Luke knew. Kronos had it planned out and he was just following the orders. The lord was betting on Percy giving up the fleece to them in exchange for Grover. Once it had healed Kronos Luke would give it back to the campers and wait for Thalia to heal.

Thalia would be by his side again. And then Annabeth would finally realise that Kronos was the only way forward. The way forward to fix everything that was wrong with the world. Kronos would bring world peace.

Thalia, Annabeth, Grover and him would finally be a family again.
Like they were when they were on the run. Everything would work out.

“I’m sorry that I failed you Luke.” Grover’s soft voice brought Luke back into the present. He looked at Luke with pleading eyes.

“What?” Luke hadn’t noticed that his mind had drifted off and he’d stared focus-less into the air.

“I’m sorry that I failed you.” Grover repeated himself with a bit more force behind the words this time.

“Why do you think you failed me Grover?” Luke raked his eyebrows together and focused on the satyr.

“Because I couldn’t protect Thalia and I couldn’t protect you from your quest. And because I wasn’t there for you when Kronos started manipulating you. I didn’t see that it was happening, when I should have! I’m your protector. And I failed.”
Luke noticed tears forming in Grover’s eyes.

“Grover. You’re what? 14? You shouldn’t have to be my protector. I’m an adult now. I don’t need you to protect me. Especially not from Kronos. Kronos is on our side. Kronos is on your side, actually. Kronos is on the side of every demigod, satyr, nymph, dryad, nereid and even minor god and goddess who have been wrong by the Olympians. Do you understand that? He’s on our side.” Luke tried to smile but his scar was suddenly burning like it had been freshly cut open and he couldn’t move the right corner of his mouth so it must have certainly looked crocked, maybe even intimidating or scary.
Something told him this was a warning by something. Maybe Kronos. Maybe Zeus. Maybe it was even Pan.

Luke felt and smelled blood running down his cheek, but when he touched it there was nothing except the scar.

Grover had actually started crying. “I’m sorry Luke. But I can’t believe you…” Grover pulled Luke onto the bed hugged him tight. His tears were soaking into Luke’s jumper.

Luke’s face still felt like it was slashed opened all over again, but hugging Grover calmed him down in a way he hadn’t been able to in a while.

Some time Luke wondered if Grover had some magic powers where he could calm people down by mere touch. The hug made Luke full on forget what Grover had said right before. Getting Grover on his side felt more feasible than ever before.
Grover wouldn’t leave him like Annabeth did. He would fight with him for the freedom of all demigods and demigoddesses, satyrs, nymphs, dryads, nereid, minor gods and goddesses.

Suddenly he felt a pair of knees forcefully hit his abdomen. Luke doubled over in pain. Grover scrambled away from him. “I’m sorry Luke! I really truly am.” Grover hurried towards the door frantically pulling at the door handle.

The pain of betrayal hurt more than Grover’s hit, but Luke wouldn’t give up on him so easily. He knew Grover would understand eventually!

It was the Olympians fault that he was send out to find demigods at barely 12 years old, after all. He had to understand that they had zero interest in keeping satyrs or demigods safe. Sending children to save children was irresponsible at best and actively endangering more people at worst. Why would anyone even allow that. Grover was send on a quest for Pan at 14. It was ridicules, as if they wanted their searchers to die. And Grover would have died if he hadn’t been so clever to pretend to be Polyphemus’s future wife.
Clarisse showing up, seemingly having destroyed that cover.

While Luke took his time to recover from the set back and the hit, Grover continued to attempt to open the door.

“Grover, I locked the door. Even if I hadn’t… there is nowhere to run. We are on a ship in the middle of the ocean. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to lock you in a room, but right now it’s the safest place you can be.” Luke tried to smile, through the pain, but it didn’t feel like it was working. He winced in pain when his scar flared up again. The pain had ebbed away for a bit, but now it came back. Not in the slashed open feeling anymore though. Just in the regular pain of a festering wound.

“So I really am a prisoner?” Grover had given up his attempts to flee the room. “You got me out of one prison to put me into another?” The hurt in his voice made Luke flinch more than anything Grover had done til now. He never wanted Grover to be a prisoner. He just wanted to… To what? To protect him? To keep him around as his protector? To not loose him how it felt like he lost Annabeth to the Olympians.

Grover was right. He just got Grover out of one prison to put him into another. But Luke couldn’t back paddle. Kronos would never let him.
“I’m sorry.” Luke buried his face in his hands. He let himself fall onto the bed. This was supposed to go differently. But it hadn’t. Luke should have known.

Luke heard the rustling of Grover’s wedding dress next to the bed. It sounded like Grover was carefully sitting down on the ground beside it.
“Can you just let me go? Drop me off on the nearest coast? I’m not mad at you Luke. It’s my fault you are like that after all.” Luke could hear him move around and a tud against the bed let Luke know he was leaning on the wooden bed frame.

Luke imagined Grover would be looking up onto the ceiling with a contemplating look in his eyes.
“It’s not your fault. Stop saying that. If anything, it’s my dad’s fault I am like this. It’s his fault she lost her mind. It’s his fault Collin is dead. It’s his fault that I have this agitating scar. It’s all his fault.” Luke finally dropped his hands from his face and just stared at the ceiling.

Grover whispered: “I understand why you think that is the case.”
He sounded guilty. Luke hated that he sounded guilty. Why was Grover so convinced that it was his fault that these things happened. Luke knew he never forgave himself for Thalia. And Luke never understood how he couldn’t point the blame where it was supposed to be. Zeus.
Not Grover.

Luke finally turned his head to the right to look at Grover and saw a head of brown curls and little horns.
“You have to stop blaming yourself Grover. These tragedies were never your fault.” Luke tried to sound calming, but hearing himself it sounded tired and sad instead.

“But they are Luke. Don’t you understand. They are! It’s all my fault.” Grover’s voice was shaky.

Luke wanted to hug him, but wasn’t sure if Grover would want that. Luke slowly got up and sat down on the floor next to Grover.

“How can I make you believe me Grover?” Luke looked at him. The satyrs face was turned away from him.

“You can’t. Sorry, but there is nothing you could say to make me believe you.” Grover shrugged.
“When are you going to let me go?” Grover turned his head towards
Luke.

“I don’t know? Maybe in two weeks? It’s depends.” Luke bit his tongue. He shouldn’t have said the last part.

“Depends on what? How receptive I am to Kronos?” Grover had this sad look in his eyes again.

“No…” Luke paused. He knew he shouldn’t tell Grover. He knew. But he wanted to.

“You’re not going to tell me, are you?” Grover turned his face away again. The familiar sting settled in Luke again. He didn’t seem to get rid of it.

“I am not allowed to. I’m sorry” Luke answered honestly.

“I understand.” Grover nodded, Luke suspected more to himself than to him.

“Luke?” Grover looked at Luke again.

“Mhh?” Luke half smiled on his left side.

“Thank you.” There was a pause. “For saving me.”

Luke didn’t answer. He just forced his right facial muscles up to fully smile. It was painful, but worth it.

They sat in a comfortable silence.
After a few minutes Luke decided to say something anyway. “Of course. I should have done it earlier.” ‘I would have if I had known where you exactly were, but Alison didn’t tell me until Kronos told her too.’ Luke added mentally.

The two returned to the comfortable silence. It almost felt like Luke was 15 again.
He had just told Grover about his relationship with Collin. Officially. They had gotten together a bit earlier, but Luke hadn’t told anyone. And Collin didn’t have any interest in sharing it either.
Luke had asked Grover for a walk in the woods and they had settled down at the stomp of a massive tree, leaning against it. Grover and him had just sat there and looked at the surrounding trees.

-

“Grover?” Luke looked at his satyr protector. “I have to tell you something.” Luke had been fumbling with the seams of his orange camp shirt. The bark of the tree felt grounding with its uneven texture boring into Luke’s back.

“Sure, what is it Luke?” The satyr turned to the left to look at Luke. 

Luke however was avoiding looking at him just seeing it in the corner of his eye.
“I… I…” Luke stopped his attempt to talk and took a deep breath. This was Grover. It would be fine. He should not be worried. This was his friend Grover Underwood. His satyr protector. “You know…” another pause. “Collin and I are close. Right?”

“Yeah.” Grover smiled encouraging. Almost as if he already knew. Luke still didn’t dare to look him in the eyes directly.

He took another big breath and tried to start again.
“We are like together.” Luke finally got it out, but almost tripped over the words. He finally looked over to Grover properly.

“I know.” Grover smiled at him.

“You know?” Luke stared at him in disbelief.

“Yeah, I know. It’s okay Luke. You two are very subtle. Don’t worry. I just know you well. Also you’re like exactly how you were around Thalia, when you are around him.” Grover bumped his shoulder into Luke’s.

Luke was still a bit perplexed, but finally all the tension fell off his body. He bumped Grover’s shoulder back.
“I am?” He asked.

“Yeah” Grover tilted his head, “it’s nothing bad. I like it. You’re happier again. You deserve to be happy, after everything that happened Luke.” Grover’s smile was contagious.

“I like it.” Luke tentatively said. “Being happy.”

“I know.” Grover leaned onto him. The little extra weight let Luke feel more grounded.

“I still miss her.” Luke felt a pang of guilt. How could he feel happy with Collin if Thalia was dead. It wasn’t fair to Thalia and it wasn’t fair to Collin.
Collin had told him that it was okay. He had been so kind and understanding about it. They hadn’t even kissed until a week prior. And it wasn’t Collin’s fault that Luke still didn’t really believe him. Believed that it was okay to miss and love Thalia and also love him.

“I know.” Grover absently picked at his right horn. “You know you are allowed to be happy right? You are allowed to mourn and be happy.”

“I know.” Luke paused. “It’s just so hard. I feel so freaking guilty. Like I’m betraying both of them at the same time. Loving them both.”

“You’re allowed to love them both Luke. It’s okay. I’m sure if Thalia was here, she would be happy to see you happy.” Grover’s tone was soft.

“Yeah maybe. You think I could like both at the same time, even if Thalia was still alive?” Luke’s cheek heated up a bit.

“Sure.” Grover smiled again.
Luke smiled back. He liked the idea.

For a moment he let himself imagine that reality. A different one. Where Thalia was alive and he was with her and Collin. Thalia would love Collin too. Luke was certain of that. They’d have little competition. Chasing each other around Camp and hiding from responsibilities. It would be a great reality to live in.
Luke got lost in the day dream he created for a while.
The shallow breeze blowing through the trees let him relax. He closed his eyes for a moment.
Grover’s weight still on his right side he dozed off.

Luke woke up to Grover carefully nudging his side. “Hey, it’s evening time. We have to go.”

“Oh okay, yeah!” Luke blinked slowly.

Grover hopped onto his hooves and offered Luke a hand, which he gladly took.

They started to slowly roam through the trees.
Grover linked his arm with Luke’s. “I’m glad you trust me with Collin and yours secret.” Grover said causally as the strolled along.

“Of course. You’re my protector. I trust you with my life Grover.” Luke pulled their bodies closer together for a moment. To create the closest thing to a hug while walking next to each other with linked arms.

Grover look up to him and smiled.
“I trust you with my life too Luke.”
Luke smiled back.
They continued their walk, arms loosely locked again.

“How are you this good at know what to say Grover?” Luke asked, while they were getting closer to the camp grounds.

“Practice.” Grover shrugged but had a smug smile on his lips. Luke could tell he was enjoying the compliment.
Luke smiled at him. 
They continued walking.
He felt at peace. He would see Collin across the tables while dinner and they would sit next to each other during camp fire. Maybe even secretly hold hands.

-

The memory made Luke feel like he had to apologise to Grover. “I’m sorry for being a burden to you Grover. I’m sorry for leaning on you Grover. You were a child. You are a child. You didn’t deserve that.”

“What are you talking about Luke?” Grover looked over to Luke with knitted eyebrows. Like he genuinely didn’t know what Luke was on about.

“Everything.” Was all Luke could come up with.

“No seriously Luke. What do you mean?” Grover fixated his eyes on Luke.

“The fact that I leaned on you when I was 14 and Thalia had died. The fact that you had to help me with getting used to camp. The fact that you help me feeling a little less out of place there.” Luke felt the guilty coiling in his stomach.

“You’re my friend Luke.”
Grover had said ‘you’re my friend’. Present. Not past.
“I did it, because you are my friend.” Grover look sad, like he didn’t understand why Luke would be sorry.

Luke willed himself to a pained smile. Oh poor Grover. He didn’t even know how much better he deserved than being pushed into the role of a protector as a child.
“You were 13 Grover. You weren’t supposed to carry that burden yet. You weren’t supposed to be an anchor to me.” It hurt to say that Grover shouldn’t have been there for him, but Luke believed it deep in his heart. Grover deserved to grow up without massive responsibility on his shoulders.

“You’re being ridicules Luke. I’m a satyr. That’s what we’re supposed to do.” Grover leaned his head to the side. He was studying Luke’s face like he was searching for something that Luke was unaware of.

Luke took a deep breath in.
“And you don’t think, that’s a little messed up?”

“No. Why?” Grover raised his eyebrows, like it was the most normal thing to send children out to find other children to bring them to a camp to train them to become child soldiers in the waiting to bring glory to parents that didn’t care about them one bit, outside of what the children could provide for them.

“Because it’s messed up that children have to protect other children from dying.” ‘Why aren’t the gods doing their jobs as parents instead.’ He added mentally. “Why don’t they just sent adult satyrs?”
That was a question Luke had been asking himself ever since he found out about the whole satyr protector thing. He knew they were occasional adult satyrs saving demigod children, but they felt rare to see in the protector role. Luke knew Alison had one, who’d been an adult. He couldn’t remember the guys name though.

“Because most of them don’t want to do it.”
Luke could hear there was an unsaid truth hanging between them that Grover wasn’t willing to admit.

“And?” Luke pushed lightly.

“And most of them are dead. Or lost on the search for Pan.”
‘Most of them are dead.’ It hung there. Now visible.

“And don’t you think it’s a little messed up that satyrs tend to die so young that there are barely any adult satyrs? Why is the Council of Cloven Elders sending literal children instead of going themselves?” Luke’s voice was steady but there was well hidden anger underneath it.

“Luke. The Council of Cloven Elders are there to give out searcher licenses. Not to look for demigods.” Grover sounded tired. Like he was talking to a child.

“Isn’t it unfair. They get to choose if someone is worthy to search for Pan and not do anything. You could find Pan but maybe he refuses to go with you and show himself to them and they could call you a liar and an instigator.” Luke was slowly but surely talking himself into rage. It was so unfair to Grover. And to every other young satyr.

“Luke I trust the council to make the right decisions.” Grover had put on a calming tone, but Luke was getting more frustrated.

“They deemed your first saving a failure. You brought two demigods. And they called it a failure.” Luke tried to breathe calmly. He had to keep it together for Grover. The anger was slowly bubbling below the surface.

“It was a failure. Thalia died.” Grover’s voice sounded resigned.

“It wasn’t a failure. You saved me. You saved Annabeth!” Luke put emphasis on Annabeth, because it felt like that might get through to Grover more. Slowly he was getting his composure back. The anger subsiding again. Just a bit.
“It wasn’t a failure. And you aren’t a failure! Do you understand that?!” Luke was still strung tight though. He was trying his best to keep it together.

“I know I’m not a failure. Not anymore at least. Not really.” Grover hummed the last part. Luke was getting frustrated again by the satyrs that made Grover feel this insecure. By the system that had instilled this insecurity in him.

“You aren’t! Grover! You aren’t! You aren’t a failure!” Luke was almost shouting.

“Listen to me Grover!” He turned to him and grabbed his shoulders.
“You are not a failure. You were never a failure. The system is the failure. Always!” Luke fixated his eyes on Grover’s face. The satyr looked so utterly young. He was just a child still. Grover averted his eyes. He looked embarrassed and sad. But Luke wasn’t going to let that stand. He had to convince Grover.

“They didn’t even give it to you after you brought Percy to Camp. A child of the big three. And they didn’t even give it to you then.” Luke watched as Grover slowly hugged his knees. He was quiet for a moment. Luke had unintentionally struck a nerve. And instead of Grover being angry at the unfairness, Grover seemed sad about his failure.

“They gave it to me after my quest with Annabeth and Percy. That was their decision and I respect that decision. You don’t have to. You don’t have to like it. But it has nothing to do with you.”
Grover’s voice gradually got harder as he spoke. Like he wasn’t going to discuss this any further.

The clutched arms tightening around his legs betrayed his harshness though. Grover was near crying. Luke could tell. That hadn’t been his goal. The gears were turning in his head, trying to figure out how to fix this. How to cheer up Grover and help him direct his anger at the right person, instead of eating his sadness into himself.

“Hey. That’s. Grover.” Luke tried to start multiple sentences at once. “I don’t want you to be upset with me. I’m sorry for making you feel like I am. I’m just…” Luke broke off the sentence again. Trying desperately to continue.
“I’m just trying to make you understand.” He already knew it was a lost cause at this moment, but he had to try anyway.
“Understand who the real enemies are.” The way Grover’s face scrunched Luke knew he had said the wrong thing.

“I’m sorry Luke. But I’ll never understand. There are no real enemies. There are just rules.”
He smiled sadly. Like he wanted to understand Luke so desperately, but he couldn’t fathom what he was talking about, what he was thinking, the way he was looking at the world. It made Luke feel like he lost Grover for ever. Like he would never get him back, the way they used to be friends. He’d never be by his side fighting for the freedom and protection of demigods.

Grover had become quiet. His face was scrunched together in thought.
“Luke, why did you give Percy the shoes? Like what was the plan?”
Grover looked at him. The sadness in his eyes almost welling over.
That punched all the air out of Luke. 

“What?” Was all he could muster. ‘Not very polite’ a voice in the back of his head chirped.

“Grover what do you mean?” He wasn’t playing unknowning. He genuinely couldn’t remember what Grover could mean. Like it was erased from his memory. It almost hurt to dig into his memory. Like the memory was surrounded by barbed wire.

“I don’t know. Would you believe me if I said I don’t know? I don’t remember what you’re even talking about.” Luke looked at Grover with pain in his eyes and full honesty. He didn’t know what else to do.

Grover’s eyes told Luke that he didn’t believe him, but he started explaining anyway: “Last year, when Percy, Annabeth and I went on the quest, you gifted Percy your winged shoes. The ones you got from Hermes.” Grover paused.
“We used them on our quest a few times. Percy gave them to me, because flying wasn’t something we  thought would be a good idea at the time, because of Zeus.” Another pause. “And then when we were in the underworld, the shoes tried to pull me into Tartarus. And they almost did.” Grover looked so hurt that Luke felt like he had been punched in the gut. Hard.

And then it hit Luke over the head. All the memories washing over him again, like they were happening in this moment. Kronos ordering him to let Alabaster put a spell on the shoes. Him giving Percy the shoes. Ignoring the fact that he didn’t actually want Percy to get hurt. Kronos had promised him he wouldn’t hurt Percy once he delivered the bolt to him. Kronos had told him that everything would be alright. That Percy would return without a scratch and he would be able to rise. That Percy would be joining Luke. And then it never happened. Grover would have joined him if Percy and Annabeth did. Luke was sure of it.
The memories of that aspect of his sword fight with Percy at camp came back to him. They slotted back into the memory like they had never been gone.

It had hurt to know that Grover had almost been the one hurt, by the shoes. He hadn’t been particularly happy with Percy possibly getting hurt either, but he had pushed that to the side and ignored the possibility, because Kronos had promised him the opposite.

Luke’s eyes were glazed over fully lost in thought and memory.
Grover let his head fall on Luke’s shoulder. It slowly grounded him back in reality.

“Do you seriously not remember?” Grover’s voice drifted through the fog that was surrounding his consciousness.

Something about the way Luke was looking must have tipped Grover off.
It took Luke a while till he could form words again: “I remember now. I had completely forgotten. I don’t know why or how I could forget that. But I did.”
For a split second Grover’s eyes were filled with worry, but he covered it up immediately.

“Okay.” Was all the satyr said.

“Are you going to answer the question?” Grover said after a while.

Luke only shook his head. “I’m not allowed to. The decisions of Kronos must remain a mystery for everyone not involved in them.” Luke’s voice was mechanical. He had said that sentence so often now, to the demigods on the Princess Andromeda, when they had asked him about Kronos war plans or attack strategies. It was the sentence the lord repeated to him, whenever he asked something. Wanted to know more. Or wanted extra explanations.
After a while Luke had given up asking. There was no point in it. If Kronos wanted him to know something. He would know it. And if he didn’t. He’d never get the answer.

Grover just nodded, like he understood. But Luke knew he was just doing it to appease and calm Luke. He didn’t mean it. That much was obvious.

They returned to a comfortable silence. Grover wouldn’t push it anymore, Luke was sure of that. And Luke wouldn’t push it anymore either. Both of them relaxed.
Luke was almost getting sleepy. Grover was leaning heavy on his side. This was fine. Everything would work out eventually. Maybe it was Grover calming him down intentionally. Luke sometimes suspected he could influence emotions.
He felt exhausted.
Without meaning to he slipped off into a nap.

Luke woke up to Grover nudging him carefully. He slowly blinked. His back hurt, from the uncomfortable position that he had fallen asleep in. Grover looked at him with apologetic eyes:
“Luke? Do you have any clean clothes for me?” There was a pause.
“I mean I like the dress but it is really dirty and I would love to get some clean clothes instead.” Luke blinked at the satyr for a moment. Processing what had been said and then jumped up and into action.

Grover blinked in surprise over the sudden rapid movement. 
“Sure!” Luke answered.
“You want a dress?” He joked. The left corner of his mouth shot up.

“I mean. If it’s the only thing you have? Sure.” Grover answered him in earnest tone, but the way the corner of his mouth twitched Luke could tell he was not being 100 % serious.

“Oh no, don’t worry. I think if I ask Alabaster he will lend you some clothes. Or I’ll steal some from the mortals on the ship.” Luke laughed. Genuinely. For the first time in a while. The pain of his scar was easy to ignore for once.

“It’s not that I wouldn’t wear a dress or skirt. It’s cool and all. I just would love a break from it for a while.” Grover said.

“Grover. It’s fine. I was just messing with you. You don’t have to wear a dress. I was just joking around.” Luke hoped he didn’t make Grover uncomfortable. It was supposed to be a joke. But if Grover liked wearing dresses it would have just made him feel bad about it. Luke was praying he didn’t misspeak.  He didn’t want Grover to feel uncomfortable about liking wearing dresses.

“No, but Luke. I do like it. I know that’s weird.” Grover averted his eyes and played with his curls. The confirmation made Luke feel guilty. That wasn’t what he wanted.

“Hey, don’t worry. It’s not. I mean I’ve worn a skirt and liked it. Nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about.” Luke sat back down. In front of Grover this time, to look him into the eyes directly.

“You have worn a skirt?”
Grover raised his eyebrows incredulously.

Luke wanted to eagerly reply ‘Yes!!!’ and nothing else but opted for a casual tone, when he said:
“I mean yeah. When I was 14. Before you or even Annabeth had joined our little ragtag team. But I felt embarrassed about it too, afterwards. Only Thalia ever saw me in these things.” Luke had to laugh again. The memories of Thalia looking at him, complementing him in the skirts, telling him he look pretty, were flooding his mind. He felt giddy.

After taking a deep breath he continued: “They were very cool skirts though if I do say myself. I personally think I had a great style at that time.” He chuckled again.
“It was these plaid skirts with red patterns. Thalia had wanted one to try out and I had stolen one from a store for her. She ended up disliking how it looked on her, so I put it on out of curiosity. And I thought I looked cool with it. Stole a bunch more. Tried out green and blue and brown. But I liked the red the best. It matched with Thalia’s plaid shirt she liked to wear around the waist. Made me feel like everyone could see we belonged together.” Luke felt like he was fourteen again. In the good way. Not in the way it ended for him in his nightmare.

He wanted to spin around happily. Pull Grover off the floor and jump around with him. It was like someone had turned a switch in his head and suddenly nothing mattered anymore except joy. Kronos had not slipped into his mind and reprimanded him yet so he felt like it would be fine.

Grover smiled broadly back at him. Luke was basically vibrating at this point, suppressing the urge to jump to his feet.
“Just give me whatever you have Luke.” Grover patted Luke’s knee. “I trust in your fashion choice.” The satyr added with a grin.
Luke didn’t need more of an invitation. He jumped up and hurried over to the closet.

The option to ask Alabaster for his clothes was totally forgotten, as Luke was rummaging through his clothes. He had put some clothes he didn’t need often or didn’t want to have directly connected to him, in case someone snooped around, into this room.

“They will be too big, but we can make it work.” Luke said as he was pulling out a grey fluffy, but expensive looking jumper and a matching headband. After a moment of thought he went back to looking for a bottom piece of clothing.

After desperately searching for it he finally found it.
Luke took out his one skirt he had hidden in the very back of the closet. It was the only thing he had allowed himself outside of what Kronos had made some mortal styling expert pick out. He had gotten himself a red plaid skirt. Like the one he had on the run, with Thalia. He had stolen it from one of the human travellers on the Princess Andromeda.

The skirt was a thick woollen fabric and fitted with the jumper in style. The red would be a contrast to the light grey of the jumper, but be also fitting.

“Is it winter? Or why are you picking out warm clothes?” Grover asked him in a lighthearted tone.

Luke looked over his shoulder at Grover for a moment. Thinking.
“It gets cold in this part of the ship at night. Also I think you need and deserve something fluffy and that’s the best I have.” Luke shrugged and smiled. After a moment he continued: “Do you want to shower Grover?”
Fully turning around to the satyr who was sitting on the floor watching him getting out the clothes.

“Sure! That would be lovely actually.” Grover’s eyes brightened up. Luke smiled at him. Ignoring the pain from his scar.

He walked over to unlock the bathroom door, balancing the clothes in the other hand.
Once the door was opened he placed the clothes on the closed toilet lid and stepped out of the bathroom again.
“There you go!” He made intentionally theatrical hand gestured towards the door frame. 
Grover grinned and got up.

“Why thank you Luke!” The satyr walked past him into the bathroom and locked the door.

Luke let himself fall onto the bed again. As he was staring at the ceiling, waiting for Grover he drifted off again.
Just to be woken up by Grover’s light nudges again.

“Didn’t have a lot of sleep last night?” Grover just asked once Luke had sat up straight.

“Something like that.” Was all Luke could muster up. How long had he been in here with Grover now?

The satyr had put on the clothes Luke had given him and somehow the skirt and jumper actually fitted Grover as he had stuffed the jumper into the skirt to fill out the extra space. The sleeves of the jumper were a little bit too long. Grover looked younger than before. His curls were pushed back by the headband.

Grover sat down on the bed next to Luke. “You want to talk about why?” Grover carefully prodded.

Against his better judgment Luke answered: “Had a pretty bad nightmare, about Thalia and Collin dying.”
That was all that he was going to tell Grover.

“Oh… okay. I’m sorry Luke.” Grover pulled him into a careful hug. Luke just hugged him back. There was nothing Grover could do so he wasn’t expecting any more than a hug.
They just sat there for a while until Grover carefully let go of Luke.

Luke was contemplating if he should ask Grover if he could ruffle his hair like he used to when he was at Camp.
“Grover?”

“Yeah?” The satyr looked to Luke.

“Can I ruffle your hair?”
Luke felt a bit embarrassed to ask, but it had always been their little form of closeness, and he needed it. Need to feel like this was normal, and they were friends. Like nothing bad had ever happened.

“Sure.” Grover smiled.
He leaned into it when Luke ruffled his hand through his hair.

“I missed this.” Grover quietly admitted. “I miss us being close and just talking.”

“I miss it too.” Was all Luke answered.
He felt a wave of fondness roll over him.
This was fine. Everything would be alright. Everything would work out exactly how it was supposed to.

In the far corner of his mind a thought nagged at him.
Why hadn’t Grover just stolen the keys and ran away every time he had fallen asleep? Maybe he hadn’t thought of it, or maybe his satyr protector actually wanted to stay with him on the ship.
He chose to believe the second option. Holding onto it for dear life.

The knock at the door let both Grover and Luke peak up.
“Luke?” Olek’s voice was dulled by the door.

“Yes, Olek?” Luke answered, tensing up. His friendship time with Grover seemed to be over now.

“We need you out here with some planning and decision making.” Echoed through the door. Luke unconsciously wrinkled his face. Why couldn’t he just be off duty for a day. Just a day. Without decisions and planning.

Grumbling to himself Luke got up and walked over to the door, unlocking it and peeking his head out. Luke didn’t want this peaceful time to end already.

Olek leaned forward and whispered into his ear: “Lex wants to talk you.”
A light shiver ran down Luke’s spine. He liked Lex, but it was never a good sign if he was specifically requested by him. Something bad was going on.

Luke whispered back: “Okay, sure. Just, keep an eye on Grover for me, would you.”
Olek just nodded and walked past Luke, smoothly taking the keys from him and pushing him out the door. The clicking of the lock was audible.

Walking in the direction of the admiral suit Luke mentally prepared himself for the worst.
Opening the doors to a tense looking Lex sitting at the table.

Before Luke could ask Lex spoke:
“Percy Jackson is here to make a deal.”