Piper came back to Camp Half Blood after Jason's funeral. She wasn't needed at her new home in Oklahoma anyway, since her family was there to help take care of her dad, So she decided to go to the only home she knew- Camp.

"Percy and Annabeth aren't coming with us. They're staying at Annabeth's dad's house, here at the Bay Area. You coming Piper?" Nico asked as he readied Mrs. O'leary for a shadow travel.

"Um, I don't know, isn't Will going with you?" Piper asked.

"No, he's going with the other Apollo camper. he and I, we were..." Nico stuttered, blushing.

Piper nodded. "It's okay. I get it."

"So... you coming?" He asked.

"Um, sure." She nodded. Mrs. O'leary let her climb onto her back, and she sat behind Nico.

"Have you gone through shadow travelling?" He asked.

"No," Piper shook. "Should I worry about something?"

"Nah, just hold on," Nico said, and Mrs. O'leary stepped into the darkness.

Piper didn't like darkness, but she suppose shadow travelling was pretty okay. A second later, they arrived at camp. People were already back, going on to their own cabins.

"Thanks for the ride," She slipped down from Mrs. O'leary's back.

"You're welcome," He told her. "Oh, and if you get lonely, I'll be in my cabin, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks again." Piper exclaimed and walked to her own cabin.

She didn't get a really welcoming arrival back at the Aphrodie cabin. There was only Mitchell, Lacy, Drew, and some other Aphrodite campers.

"Well well, look, it's counselor!" Drew exclaimed. "I'm sorry about Jason Grace," she said with false symphaty. "He was a cute boy. It's sad to think that he spent the rest of his short life with you. It could've been someone better."

"Drew, shut up. I'm tired." Piper snapped.

"What's wrong, you still not over him? I thought you two broke up," Drew said.

"Shut up, Drew, that's none of your business," Mitchell backed her up.

"Well, look who decided to be one of Piper's minions," She mocked her. "Seriously, what's up with her? She's not Aphrodite's most beautiful child. She doesn't follow our old rules. her dad is broke. And Jason-"

"SHUT UP!" Piper yelled and punched Drew in the face. The other kids gasped. When Piper got over her anger, she stormed past them, grabbed two brown box on her bed and went outside.

It was after curvew. The patrol harpies screeched around her, but they knew not to mess around her right now, especially with that dagger hanging from her belt.

Piper walked over to the Hades cabin and knocked gently twice.

Nico showed up, looking confused, but when he saw her expression he immediately let her in.

"Sorry Nico, I just need to find- you know, somwhere to stay." she sat down on the edge of his bed.

"It's okay. You can't sleep?" Nico asked.

"No, just- I messed up and punched someone in the face." she replied.

Nico gave a short laugh, like he thought she was funny but he's trying not to tease her. "Just that? When I found out Bianca died, I summoned a band of skeleton army and tried to destroy Percy."

"Really?" Piper asked.

"Seriously. Hey, you can stay here, you know. Chiron won't mind us." He said.

"Thanks, Nico. Oh, and um, can you do me a favor?" She asked him.

"Sure, what is it?" Nico said.

"Um, I sorted through my room and found Jason's stuffs, back when he- when he was still living with me. Can you...?"

"Sure," Nico nodded and sat beside her. They start rustling through them, finding pictures and other thingd that Piper didn't want to keep. It was hard to let go. She didn't want to. But she has to.

"Hey, this one's pretty sweet, It looks like you were never as pretty as the you in this picture," Nico said, showing a picture to her.

Piper remembered that day. She and Jason was holding hands, both looking at each other, still very much in love and happy. Piper had a big smile across her face. Jason did too, a big wide grin with his sparkling, beautiful electric blue eyes. She wondered where she could see that kind of smile again.

Then she broke down crying like a total little girl.

"Woah, hey hey, I didn't mean to- I mean I-" Nico stuttered, trying to comfort her. "Hey, you still look pretty now, I mean," he told her. "It's just that- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you,"

"No, that's not the problem," Piper sobbed. "Jason- his death was my fault. If- if I didn' lost him in the maze, we could have- he could have been with me, happy and in peace, sketching the desgins for the temples. He could've been happy. He could've stayed."

"No no, Piper, Jason's death was not your fault," Nico denied. "Listen to me. I blamed myself once for Bianca's death, and it didn't work well. It won't for you either now, so you have to let go okay?"

Piper shook. "I don't know if I can."

"You have to. I'll show you how." Nico squeezed her shoulders. "You're strong. You can do this."

"I can," she agreed and nodded. Piper set that photo aside though, along with a blue teddy bear Jason had won for her once in a night fair.

"We can move them tomorrow to Zeus' cabin." Piped sighed.

"Hey, Pipes," Nico handed her the photo and the teddy bear. "I know Jason. He'll want you to let go, but maybe, he wants you to remember too." He said.

Piper's eyes watered. "Thank you, Nico," she whispered and hugged the younger boy.

"Don't mention it," Nico smiled and hugged her back.

Piper never knew Nico that much. From everyone else's perspective, they would all see Nico as a creepy son of Hades. But Piper knew better. Sometimes there's just ,ore on the inside that on the outside.

She knew that not all relationship were an endgame like Percy and Annabeth. She Nd Jason weren't perfect, but she guess, they were worth it, and she would never regret that.

She'll try to let go, but after that, she'll remember too.