I woke up on a bed with the sun just coming up.
"Get my bag" I muttered
"Here" Barbara handed it to me.
"Get the ziplock bag and give it to me" she handed me a bag of ambrosia.
"Of course why didn't I think of that?" I heard Percy say.
I ate a square but didn't dare eat more. I felt better.
"What happened?" I asked sitting up
"What is that stuff?" Barbara asked
"Don't eat it" I said
"Okay"
"Are you okay" Percy asked
"I'm okay" I said "I think what happened"
"Well you were shot" Percy started
"I know that" I said "after"
"Well we caught a few people others...well they were under orders to get away or um die" he said
"What about my step mom?" I asked
"Well after she shot she was in hysterics and we got her before she could do anything."
"Good" I said "is she okay"
"I think so" she said
"There is only one problem" I said "that's not her"
"What"
"She's still with Cadmus." I said "I thought I could help her."
"How do you know it's not her?" Barbara asked
"She didn't have her wedding ring she always does." I said "I don't think it's been her for the passed three months"
"So where do you think she is?" Percy asked
"I don't know but I'm going to save her" I said
"We do have a problem" Bruce said "how will we explain her going missing?"
"Where's the imposter" I asked
"She's out" Wally said
"You Let her go?" I said "why'd you let her go?"
"Bruce did it" Percy said
"She seemed all right" he said "besides I put a tracker on her"
"She's at my house" I said when I saw the blip. "She's finishing her mission"
"What will you do" Percy asked "you've been gone for three days and so has she"
"Pretend like nothing happened" I said "I'll blame the limp on a monster"
I had a limp from the gun wound but luckily the bullet was slowed down because it went through the create first so it didn't go deep. It did hit a blood vessel so that's why it bled so much.
"I'll meet you here for patrol?" I asked
Everyone was awkwardly silent.
"Annabeth your not going on patrol" Bruce said
"For how long"
"We can't put anyone at risk of getting killed." He said
"Percy nearly was killed closer than me" I said my voice rising "but now I can't keep going but he can?"
"It's not his choice" Barbara said "its mine"
"No" I said "you can't. I help people I can and I do I'm out in the world not stuck in a camp. I've left camp three times since I was seven. Once for one day. Then the quest. Now this. I've dreamt about. Ugh. You wouldn't understand! I can't be stuck at camp again!"
"You won't you'll be with your family" Barbara said
"My family?" I asked "my family is at camp"
As much as it hurt me to say that I knew deep down it was true. Sure my dad was here but to be honest Chiron was more of a dad to me.
"Plus this won't change anything" I said "monsters will always attack me. I can't change who my mom is. No matter what you do they'll come it won't put me out of danger."
"At least take a break" Barbara begged "for a month or so get better"
"I'm fine" I said "I won't stop for a month."
"Please"
"One week" I said "please I'm finally out in the real world I'm helping people."
"Two weeks" she said "if your doing okay you can keep going."
"Fine" I said
I couldn't go back to camp forever. I couldn't not as long as there was more out here for me.