Disclaimer: All PJO characters and successive background of said characters belong to Rick Riordan. Other Greek information comes from Edith Hamilton.

(Hey guys, this is Grimoak. This is my first attempt at writing fiction again after a couple of years. This is sort of my epilogue to Rick Riordan's awesome PJO series. I'd appreciate constructive criticism, comments/suggestions, or corrections. Particularly about being out-of-character. I want it to feel like this is exactly how they'd act. Without further ado, please enjoy my first section of a 3-part adventure.)

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Crystals of Time: The First Shard

~A Daring Leap~

Chapter 1

Hey, my name's Rachel Elizabeth Dare, I'm just your regular teenager from Manhattan who goes to a finishing school in New Hampshire for high society girls with all the walking, seating, dining etiquette. You know, what is up with that? Why do you need instructions on how to walk or sit? I mean, what? The regular way doesn't work for these people? And don't get me started on those full fur on coats they strut around. Those used to be little animals!

Oh... I meant, yeah, just your regular average teenager on the higher class side of Manhattan. Oh yeah, I'm living the dream, perfectly normal just like what my dad wants for me. Well… except for the fact that I happen to be the Oracle of Delphi. I get to channel Apollo's prophecies to seekers to start them on their quests and everything. It's pretty amazing and it keeps my life interesting.

I know, it sounds crazy right? But my life's been crazy ever since that day I met Percy Jackson. He's one of the dumbest, slowest, kindest and most loyal guys you can ever know.

And ever since I became the Oracle… He also became my big 'what-if'…

Let me catch you up.

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In the battle for Olympus a couple of years back, I made a decision. I had a feeling it was destiny calling but somehow a part of me was still holding on.

I know what I said to Percy and I figured I was making the right decision then.

I let him go and I let my own feelings go because I knew that I was probably chosen by the Fates to do this.

The dreams, the visions and the nightmares of what was coming all pointed to a place as the new Oracle. After speaking with Chiron and Hestia, I was even more determined and I could not have him as a distraction.

By the customs of Delphi, the Oracle must be a maiden that devotes her life to the God of Truth and Prophecy. By the vows of celibacy, I could not be with any man, which brings me back to Percy Jackson.

That moment, I looked at him before the final battle and my heart was cemented. I had to be brave. It was my fate.

But maybe I offered up more than I realized then. I didn't just lose the possibility of love. I lost the possibility of happiness with Percy. Well, gave up.

But I reasoned out that it was for the best.

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Two years later after that decision, Percy and Annabeth are still together. I'm still the Oracle for Camp Half-blood. There are a great number of new faces and I've given them, although totally unaware, an equally great amount of prophecies.

Nothing has changed much. People have grown up, some have passed on, others are just beginning. But time is like a stand still for me as the oracle. Although I'm not immortal, I feel like I'm aging slower than the rest.

Lord Apollo told me it might be because I was still getting used to housing an ancient spirit inside, he jokingly added, "maybe you haven't embraced your inner 'women' yet?" and he chuckled to himself. "Get it? Which gives me an idea for a new poem…" I couldn't point it out to you and I could hardly give myself any prophecies to answer that.

But maybe it's because deep inside I knew I wasn't all there.

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I was walking that afternoon along the coast of Long Island Sound when I saw Percy sitting alone on the surf. He was wearing a green jacket over his white shirt and blue jeans. His black rowdy hair rustling with the breeze but he looked distant.

Now over the years, my feelings for him have lessened. Dwindled to almost nothing but friendship, but always there. Always the twinge of longing and disappointment.

And as I approached him he looked up at me with those sea-green eyes and I hesitated. "Hey Rachel, what's up?" he asked with a mild hint of sadness in his voice.

"Nothing much, what are you doing here?" I replied with a little surprise at how he was trying to be cheery when it was clear that something was wrong. As I sat down beside him, I noticed how the tides were ebbing around him, making a circle that kept everything about him dry except for his feet.

"Oh you know. Just cooling off. I got a thing with water you know." He replied with an attempt at a bigger smile at his own joke.

"Oh really? I totally forgot." I smiled back. "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked while keeping my eyes on his face.

He hesitated for a while, like he was deciding whether or not to tell me. After a moment he whispered, "It's not a big deal. I don't want to drag you down." He kept looking at the water submersing his feet.

"Yeah ok Percy, that clears everything up. Gods, I'm the Oracle but that doesn't mean I can read minds." And I gave him a playful shove. He grinned at me and our eyes locked. At that moment those deep troubled eyes made the little twinge in my heart expand and it was as if we were 15 again driving in Paul's Prius along the coast. Just him and me and nothing else about this other world enjoying each other's company.

I think it started showing in my face because his expression started to change and I saw him looking away, back into the sunset.

I wanted to ask him. I wanted to know what he thought about my "what-if?" I'm normally straight with everyone but there are some things that I felt should be left unsaid and forgotten. It was easier to pretend that the past was the past. But being the Oracle, the past, present and future is a blur. Time lines are always connected.

We continued sitting in silence for a while but I kept hearing a voice inside my head, Ask. Just ask him. You must know the truth. The voice was familiar yet mysterious. For some reason, I was persuaded. So I steeled my nerves.

"Percy do you ever think about what would of happened if I didn't turn into the Oracle? I mean, hypothetically speaking, I didn't devote myself to Apollo and I was free of my vows and you and Annabeth still weren't together. Ofcourse, not that I think you guys wouldn't be great for each other. But I'm just saying what if, do you think you would have chosen me instead?" I said in a fast casual way while trying to watch his face for his reaction.

He was turning a little red as he seemed to be really considering it and then he started stifling a laugh. I was taken aback, "What? I'm seriously asking here." And I continued to hold my stare at him.

That sobered him up. After a while he turned to the sunset and looked a little embarrassed before he said, "Maybe. It's so easy being around you Rach. I mean, I never said anything but those couple of months we were hanging out before my sixteenth were some of the happiest days I had. I mean, you just made me feel normal and accepted." He smiled and looked at me.

I was looking at him to see if he was being sincere. Then I just laughed and he just stared at me. Clueless. Absolutely clueless. You think he would've grown up a bit and learned how to understand girls better.

I was probably laughing so much cause I was trying so hard not to start tearing. Asking him only made it worse. It was one thing to have always thought you never had a chance but hearing that you could have been together with someone in the end was hurtful.

"I always thought Annabeth was the only girl you really cared about that way." I tried to say in a nonchalant manner as if it was a totally normal thing to ask. He stopped smiling and looked away.

"Annabeth's great. She's my best friend and we went through a lot together." He kept his gaze at the sunset. "But she wasn't the only girl I cared about that way. I mean there was Calypso, don't tell Annabeth," he quickly added. "and then there was yo-" and he stopped talking and he blushed even redder.

His expression was like he almost let out a secret. I looked at him with a curious excited look in my eyes and he shrugged. "Forget it," he said. "Hey it's getting late. We should head back. Harpies you know. I'm pretty safe but I don't think even the Oracle's exempt from curfew." And he grinned at me. I looked around and I hadn't noticed that the sun had already set and the moon was already in the sky.

"You go on ahead. I wanna stay here a bit." I said as I watched him straighten his shirt out. "Are you sure?" He asked. "Yeah, I wanted to come down here to do get some ideas for a new canvas anyway." I lied and I closed my eyes.

Before I knew it I felt a warm feeling over my shoulder and I felt Percy leaning over me covering me with his jacket. He was so close to me that I could feel his breath at the back of my neck. "Don't catch a cold Rachel." And he started walking back to the mess hall.

"Stupid." I whispered to myself as I watched him walk back to camp.