Hey... Yeah. I know. I'm being extremely unacceptable. I haven't updated for months. Sorry about that... It's going to take me longer to update nowadays... I'm getting busier...

I will be continuing When Worlds Collide. I'm just having a little writer's block on it at the moment, despite me having so many ideas for it.

I was inspired to do this one, and it is not a one shot. Let me know what you guys think! Thanks!

It was a sort of difficult thing to accept.

Usually, in the old Sparta, either you are victorious and return home with honor, or you fail and die. If a fellow soldier were to go after winning and not come back, it was a little displeasing and disrespectful—at least in Jason's eyes. Jason's pride for his friends was big enough to swallow him whole, except for the fact that someone was missing.

The lonely boy held true to his word. As soon as he was unneeded, he vanished. It shamed Jason to willingly give pity to another, who did not want it. It shamed Jason to not have trusted and acknowledged a friend. It shamed Jason to see the others not accept him. It shamed Jason to feel his absence.

The golden grains of death were sprinkled over the lush and long grasses beneath Mount Olympus, glistening in the welcome warmth of the sun. Jason tried to relax his muscles, tried to convince himself that the hard part was done, tried to accept victory. His muscles stayed taut, eyes tense. He knew he was paranoid, but he stood still and firm, surveying the bloody landscape surrounding him. The rusty smell of red consumed his senses and alarms went off in his head. Blood. He cursed himself for not thinking of his comrades.

Running past broken bodies and death, he reached the ship that sailed his fate to Greece. The Argo II was anchored, battered and bruised no less than any person who fought. Jason thought of Piper. Piper. She kept him going. He knew he shouldn't jump into things, but he had to find her, now. He yelled her name frantically, fear enveloping his mind. Oh, he should've stayed near her. She would have hated his protection, but he should have stayed nonetheless. He cursed himself a thousand times over.

The battlefield was silent and mourning. No glorious shouts and whoops were heard. Not now, not today. There was sacrifice to be acknowledged first. Jason ran, still calling for the daughter of the love goddess. He could only hear his own voice, and it was not triumphant. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath. He listened. For a second, he could've sworn…

"Jason! Jason!"

"Piper!" he called, regaining his voice. "Where are you? Pi—"

"Jase, help! I-I-I'm stuck!" He heard a groan and a crack. He heard Piper curse. He moved closer. "I'm stu—no. I'm okay. I"m okay. I'm fine."

Jason ran to her voice. He was hyper-aware of her voice now and heard everything she said.

There was another crack, then a crumble, a grunt, then a sickening thud.

"Piper! Piper!" He stumbled to where she was. "Piper! Thank the gods! P—"

"Yes," she commented dryly. "That's me."

She picked herself off the ground where she lay. Moments before, she was trapped under a thick and heavy branch. She dusted her pants distastefully. "I really don't think gold sparkles are my thing," said she with a smile. "And stop staring at me like that, Sparky. You alright there?" Her voice dipped into one of concern.

He shook his head and laughed. "Fine, Just happy you're okay."

She smiled blindingly back. He took in her appearance. Her hair was messy and tousled, shirt torn in several places, burnt arms and legs, and bare feet. All in all, she looked amazing.

"We should get back to the Argo, see if everyone's alright." She knocked him out of his examination.

"Right." He nodded. He really should have been thinking of the others. "Let's go."

She grabbed his hand, and he squeezed back, full of relief. Jason saw a crowd of collecting demigods a short distance off. It amazed him how much of the place was covered with monster dust.

They made their way to the crowd, hearing the voices grow louder with each step. At first the chatter seemed joyous, but as they got closer, he realized something was off.

He tugged Piper's hand and they hobbled over as fast as they could. The voices now seemed weary and desperate. Something was definitely off. He recognized some voices as he spotted faces.

"Stay with us. Keep your eyes open. Look—look at me. I need more nectar! Come on—" That was Reyna. He was glad his friend was a survivor.

"She'll burn up—" interrupted someone.

Reyna yelled, "Shut up! All of you! Be quiet!"

Surprisingly, everyone complied. Soon, Jason could only hear his footsteps crunching in the dying grass and his quick-paced heart.

Shoving his way through the crowd, he nearly tumbled over seeing the pale face of the one the group was standing around.

"Let it go, Reyna. S-She can't make it. Not like this." Percy. Percy said that. How could he say that about—?

Apparently, Reyna had similar thoughts. "Let it go?!" she nearly screeched. "You're the one who's supposed to take care of her! You—" Reyna's lip trembled. Jason had never seem Reyna this close to crying before.

Percy had deep bags under his eyes, which had dulled. Jason didn't like seeing Percy like this. Percy looked like defeat. "I know, Rey. I know. I failed. I—" Percy choked and covered his eyes. He was sitting on his rear with his legs pulled in close. He couldn't look.

Jason was a bit disgusted at Percy. Percy was saying give up? Percy was acting like a child. Jason knew he would be in bad shape if Piper was laying lifeless in front of him, but right now, people needed Percy.

Piper kneeled next to Annabeth's curls of blonde, running her fingers through the dirty knots. Annabeth was unblinkingly staring into the void of blue.

All of a sudden, the sky seemed too happy.

Jason looked around silently. He saw Leo, Hazel, Frank, and a mix of Romans and Greeks. Hazel had caved into Frank, who held her safely. Leo just stared at Annabeth's shoes.

Making a quick decision, he meandered to Percy, who was mumbling nonsense to himself. Reyna, who had relented to holding Annabeth's limp hand in silence, looked up at him with obvious consolation of her face at him being alive. He gave her a nod, which she returned. Jason gripped Percy's shoulder and yanked him up. He grabbed both of Percy's shoulders and forced him to look in his eyes. Jason could see Percy's fear now. Percy was afraid; Percy was alone.

Jason lost confidence in what he was going to say as he looked into the slightly shorter boy's eyes. Jason knew all the attention was on them, but he didn't care. This was not about himself. This was about Percy and Annabeth.

He tried to think of something comforting. He wished he had Piper's people skills when words failed him.

He tried to say: I'm sorry.

He tried to say: She's a hero; you'll see her again.

He tried to say: She would want you to pick yourself up.

But he didn't. Instead, he pulled his cousin into a stiff hug. Percy didn't hug back at first, but after a few long seconds, he grasped Jason's shirt like a lifeline and sobbed dry tears. He shook and gasped, and Jason only gripped Percy tighter.

For now, the war was won, but with war came death, and death went wherever life left.

So, this story is more centered around Jason and his journey after the war. This will not refer to any of my previous stories and is not connected to them. I hope to update soon! Review!