Song: Marching On by OneRepublic

Thalia missed those days. The ones where she ran away with Luke and Annabeth and the only worries were if a monster were to get them. They were long gone now, but she relived them in her dreams. Most of them managed to revolve around Luke.

Yes, she's a Hunter. Sworn off boys and all that, but… was she really that committed? She wanted to say yes so badly, but could she? Of course not, one side of her mind stated, it's only natural to fall in love. The other side stayed silent.

Thalia knew from that very moment as she trekked through the forest that she wouldn't be able to do it. Luke was gone, she had to accept that, and she did. She accepted it long ago. Now, she waited for death to take her. But she didn't want to die just yet. Selfish, yes, but she just couldn't resist staying on Earth a bit longer. It was nice almost, being in the Hunt. As if she was waiting. Waiting for Luke. Of course, she had heard through the grapevine (most literally) that he was going to try and get another chance at life and get into Elysium after another, so it wasn't guaranteed that she'd end up with him when she died, if she ever does.

And so she waited. She waited and waited and waited. Because, surely, after a few centuries had come and gone, Luke would be in Elysium for sure.

It was her choice. It was Thalia's choice to let the arrow pass straight through her. The arrow had perfect aim, straight into the Hunter's stomach. Thalia did not cry out, she just allowed the blood to flow. When Georgina, a girl that joined a few years after Thalia, ran to her side, Thalia hushed her and refused the ambrosia and nectar. Artemis came to.

"Thalia," she murmured.

"Milady," the dying Huntress smiled weakly. "Do not fret. I chose my destiny."

The goddess stared into the girl's electric blue eyes. "I do not understand."

"Love," Thalia whispered, "I found love in a dead hero, I will join him now in Elysium."

Artemis continued to watch her Hunter die. "Thalia, accept the—"

"Goodbye, milady, it's time for a new lieutenant."

With those words, the Hunter took in her last breath as her eyes closed.

I'm coming home, my love.

Nervousness coursed through Thalia's body. She was standing at the edge of the River Styx and had a golden drachma in hand. She rubbed the top of it with her thumb and bit her lip. Charon, the ferryman, held out his palm. Thalia handed him the drachma and stepped inside.

The ride was silent and tense.

After passing Cerberus, she arrived at the Judgment Pavilion. There the judges sat—faces impassive as they decided who went where. Thalia gulped and stepped up.

"Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus," one said. "Oh, I wonder where she will be placed. Mm… let's see."

It felt like she was going back in time. It started at Jason's disappearance, and then running away. Next came the Cyclops's lair. After that, it showed her at Half-Blood Hill, trying to save Annabeth and Luke. It was like they were giving her a slideshow of her life.

It ended.

"It appears that she was a hero," a judge said after a pause. "Elysium."

And so she walked. The golden gates opened at her arrival. The first thing she noticed was that her friends were all there. Every single one of them, even that kid who kept trying to flirt with her practically asking to get his insides ripped out.

Percy and Annabeth smiled at her as she walked by and Annabeth ran out to hug her quickly. Thalia returned the hug, but was searching for the one person she died twice for. Grover, Juniper, Beckendorf and Silena all said their hellos too, but Thalia only gave a little wave. After more walking, she spotted him. He looked the same as before. Blue eyes. Blonde hair. The crude scar wasn't there though. She didn't know when it happened, but soon she was in his arms and crying. He ran his fingers through her long hair, for it had grown out when she was with the Hunt. The gesture was comforting and she pulled back slowly.

"Luke," she finally said.

"Thalia," was his happy response.

The message was clear. No one needed to say it. It was written on their faces. In their eyes. The way she smiled at him. The way he hugged her. I love you.

Something being in the Hunt couldn't offer.

Thalia ran a brush through her hair and sighed. "I need to cut this. I don't feel like myself."

Luke looked up at her from his place on the couch. "You look beautiful, Thals."

"I know," she joked. "But really, this is not my hairstyle."

"Whatever you say."

Much to Piper's glee, her and Luke got together. Piper had told Thalia that she got her, and Thalia quotes, "blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy," Thalia needed hers. To that, Thalia scoffed and told her that Jason only had blue eyes because of Jupiter; he would've looked just like their mom if Jupiter weren't his dad. Piper only rolled her eyes and grumbled about Thalia and Luke getting together immediately. Even Annabeth, who had a blind crush on Luke for a while, encouraged her.

"C'mon, Thalia," she started one afternoon when Percy was hanging out with all the other guys, "it's obvious you two like each other. Don't pretend I didn't see your face when you first saw Luke the day of your arrival."

That statement made Thalia sigh. "Annabeth, we're dating, but not-dating."

"So it's complicated?"

Thalia groaned. "Like, I know he loves me and all and he knows I love him, but we haven't really had any sort of "kiss" thing or whatever."

"Thalia," Annabeth chuckled, "you are who knows how old you would be if you weren't a Hunter, and you talk like your sixteen."

"What? I look like it, don't I?"

Annabeth shrugged. "Bit more around Luke—see! It won't even look messed up for a sixteen year-old looking girl date a twenty year-old looking guy! You two look the same age!" She smirked to show that her point was proven by her small hypothesis. Thalia rolled her eyes.

"Who are you and what have you done to Annabeth?" Thalia feigned shock at Annabeth's uncharacteristic more-girly side.

She huffed and muttered a "shut up".

Thalia stood up. "Alright, I'll ask Luke out tonight. How does that sound?"

Annabeth looked out the window before nodding. "Fine. But the next time I see you tomorrow, I better see some PDA!"

Thalia scrunched up her nose. "Do you know how weird that sounded?"

Annabeth shrugged once again.

After spending, oh, maybe a year or so on the Isles of the Blest, her and Luke were living happily together along with everyone else from her past. It was as if all the hardships in life never happened.

If only she could come up with a good plan of revenge on the other's for forcing her to practically attack Luke that night of her and Annabeth's "talk".

Oh, well, at least everyone got what they wanted in the end.

AN: I decided to go ahead and some things for PJO Ship Weeks. I know Thaluke was a loooong time ago (like early to mid-July) but I wanted to participate in every ship week, whether it be "let's just be friends" or "hey! I like you, you like me". ;) Anyways, WOO THALUKE! I LOVE YOU! Right! There you go.