Frank's POV
She asked me a very simple question. I could barely look at her as she said it, fully aware that it would be the last thing she said to me.
"Frank…what happens at midnight?" She coughed, her wide golden eyes brimming with tears. Even though she was weak, her grip on the driftwood in her palm tightened, if only for a moment.
I could've said anything at that point. It would've been too late for her to hear it anyways. The driftwood fell gracefully from her hand, and her eyes refocused a blank stare on my face. She was gone.
She'd never gotten to stay up to see the fireworks, not back then, not now.
Camp should've been our safe haven. We should've been able to get married, and live to an old age together. We should've been able to see the fireworks Reyna would set off at midnight, light up the sky. It was our victory party, and the Romans sure could throw a good party.
But nothing could stop Hades and Thanatos from finally taking her back to the Underworld. She was here for a purpose, and she fulfilled it during the Second Giant War.
I look over at her again only to imagine her dying in the forties, in a much less peaceful way, being sucked into the Earth like she was only debris in a landslide, and nothing more.
Nico will be here soon, with all of my other friends.
The thought makes me want to sob, and I do, for hours. Reyna can't make me leave her, no one can. Sure I am Praetor, and I have responsibilities to Camp Jupiter, but as far as I know Hazel is my only real priority.
I loved her, and still do. And I have no clue how I'll tell them that not only did we lose Leo, but we lost Hazel too.
Nico's the first one to walk through my front door.
"…Frank, Hazel?" He calls, but I don't move. I hear him walk further in, and when he reaches the living room I refuse to look up at him.
He pauses, then runs to kneel beside me.
"No…No not again. Not Hazel. Not like Bianca!" He shouts frantically, placing a shaky pale hand over her heart. But I know from his face that he felt a disturbance well before he got here.
"…I didn't believe it, I chose not to. I brought you back, I want you to live…" He mutters to himself, his hands shaking harder as he covers his face. I barely even notice when the others enter the room as well.
Words aren't even necessary. Their eyes widen when they see Nico and I, and Hazel in my lap.
Soon we're all sitting around her. No one speaks, no one even looks at Hazel. We just stay there, for hours silent, all probably thinking the same thing.
Leo and Hazel were too young. Just like every other demigod that ever died.
Except, Leo and Hazel weren't just 'demigods'. They were family, and friends, and heroes.
My thoughts go back to what Mars told me, before leading us off on the quest to regain the Fifth Cohorts honor.
"Life is only precious because it ends…" But Hazel's shouldn't have. Neither should Leo's.
Percy glances over to me, Annabeth's face buried in his neck.
"I'm so sorry, Frank…" He whispers, running a hand through Annabeth's loose curls. Jason looks up from Piper, who has had her hands over her eyes the entire time.
"Nico, are you alright?" He asks, everyone turning to face him. Nico doesn't move from his position, glaring at the floor. Percy's eyes fill with guilt. I can tell he feels bad he didn't acknowledge him at all.
But I'm the one who's been selfish. Hazel is Nico's sister, I'm not the only one who loved her.
"Nico, I-"
"There's nothing to say, Frank…You didn't kill her." He replies, his voice cold, even though I know the emotion isn't directed at me.
"Nico you-" Annabeth pauses, wiping a tear from her cheek, "You can talk to us."
"I'll be fine. I've gotten past Bianca. I'll get past Hazel." He tells her, refusing to look up to any of us.
Piper opens her mouth to speak, but Nico catches her before she says a word.
"Don't try, Piper. I deserve to grieve in peace..." He mutters, his hand silencing her.
"Thanatos took her back, not any of you. Please, just stop being guilty, and stop trying to make me feel better." Nico continues, his stare still fixed on the ground. I see Jason grimace, his eyes averted, but he says nothing.
None of us do.
11:59, and we're still here, all of us. Reyna never came back to retrieve me, or Hazel.
I'm sure she's been grieving herself, but she doesn't ever join us. I can assume no one else at Camp Jupiter knows what's happened, because the fireworks begin at midnight just as planned.
Red. Green. Purple. Blue. White.
Bursts of color we all see through the sheer curtains of my window, but don't care about. The colors reflect on Hazel's body like a kaleidoscope, if that makes any sense.
Her gold eyes change colors, her white shirt painted in the light.
No one is crying anymore, all of us past that stage.
After one, everyone begins to leave. First Jason and Piper, next Annabeth and Percy.
By two it's only Nico, Hazel and I in the living room.
"I know you'll get Elysium, Hazel. I love you." Nico tells her, getting up slowly.
"Goodnight Frank. I'm sorry…" He trails off, turning away and leaving me alone.
But really, I'm the one who's sorry.