Chapter Two

Jason's POV

Today's the day.

The two year anniversary of Percy and Annabeth leaving.

The two year anniversary of Jonas's death.

I lifted a hand to wipe it down my face. I groaned.

I did not feel like getting out of bed today.

But Piper would probably drop kick me out of bed if I stayed…

No contest.

I dragged myself into the bathroom of my cabin. I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

My golden blonde hair was still the same, but my icy blue eyes have paled some. The scar on my lip was chalked white, as usual. There were large dark circles resting under my eyes.

Happy birthday to me.

That's right, today is my 18th birthday. July 1st.

Yippee.

I groaned and splashed ice cold water onto my face and left to find a towel, not even bothering to turn off the tap.

There was a knock at the door.

"It's open!" I called, though I was positive my voice was muffled from the piece of fluffy fabric pressed to my skin.

"Hey Jason." I heard Piper's voice say.

I withdrew the towel and looked up at her, giving her a sad smile. "Hey there, Pipes."

She nodded in greeting. "You okay? You look paler than usual."

I shrugged. "Is anything ever okay?"

She looked down. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Stupid question on my part." She chuckled sadly.

I waved it away. "It's fine, Piper, you were only trying to help."

She nodded and tugged on her braids. I noticed that her usually choppy brown hair had been growing out longer lately. The braids no longer went all the way down, but fanned out on each side.

Her eyes were a turquoise blue today, which stood out against her pearly whites and sun kissed skin. Piper was dressed in the usual: high waisted jean shorts, a camp tank top, and red Converses. Her hair reached out to her mid back.

"Are you going to cut your hair?" I asked her.

She picked up a few strands and shrugged. "I might trim it, but I doubt I'll go as short as it was a few years ago."

I nodded. "Two years ago when we were in Rome… on that stupid quest to save the world… never thought I would miss that…"

Piper nodded. "Right before you, Percy, and I went down to that room and we almost drowned… and then we were almost killed fighting Otis and Ephialtes… and then your gladiator battle for Bacchus's amusement… and then the cavern…" She trailed.

My heart clenched. The cavern.

She looked down. I saw a few tears running down her cheeks before they dropped onto the stone cold floor of this mausoleum. She rubbed her arms and hugged her chest.

I walked over to her in two strides. I might've been used to the cold, but she most likely wasn't.

She trembled. "W-why them? It-it's like bad luck follows them around like-like a lost puppy! They can't ever come back!" She sniffled.

I wrapped my arms around her and held her against my chest. "Hey-hey it'll be okay. They're still alive, Pipes. At least they're still alive." My voice cracked as I tried to reassure her; unshed tears were stinging my eyes.

She wrapped her arms around my lower torso. "First… the wars… then the black outs… then the disappearance… why? Why are the Fates so cruel and bloody heartless?"

I chuckled bitterly. "Because they have no hearts, Piper."

Thunder rumbled in the distance, but I didn't care. Jupiter knew it was true, I knew it was true, heck even the Morai knew it was true.

"I miss them, Jason. I would do anything to have them back. Life just isn't the same without them!" She sobbed as she clung to my shirt front.

I nodded and pressed my nose into her hair. "I know, Pipes. I know."

We just held each other for awhile, not caring that the conch horn sounded for breakfast 10 minutes ago.

She stepped back and gave me a smile before wiping her slightly upturned nose. "Thanks, Jason, I needed that."

"Anytime, Piper."

She turned to the door. Right before she left, she spun on her heel, as if remembering something.

"Oh, and Jason," She called.

I looked up. "Yeah?"

"Happy birthday."

"Thanks."

xXxXx

Annabeth's POV

The next morning I woke up in the room across from Percy's. At first, I had no idea where I was, but then the memories slowly trickled back.

I looked over at my snow white bedside table and was surprised to find a tray with eggs and cinnamon toast with a glass of orange juice resting on the surface.

A note caught my eye. I reached over and plucked it off the tray. It was folded over once. I frowned and opened it. It read:

Good morning to you! Hope you like your breakfast! Osiris says to meet him in Percy's room as soon as you're done eating! He said yes to Osiris's offer, so you have to decide before you come. Hope you agree!

- Ember

I crumpled the note and glanced at the alarm clock. It was around 9-ish at the moment. I grabbed the tray and rested it on my knee caps.

The glass wobbled a bit as I drew it up to my lips to take a drink. I almost moaned in content.

It had been awhile since I had drunk actual juice.

My breakfast was finished in minutes. I begrudgingly dragged myself out of bed and retied my ponytail. My ash blonde hair was turning even lighter, which I didn't understand.

I noticed a mirror across from the foot of my bed, dangling from the wall. I stared at my reflection.

My gray eyes have long since paled. They were silver now, a bit like Artemis's. A few golden glints wavered and dipped whenever the light hit it. My lips were still medium sized, and my nose was still a little upturned. I noticed that my skin wasn't as tanned as it was before.

Sure, it wasn't as tanned as it was when I met Percy, but it was a lot lighter. Not pale, but not sun kissed either. Just in the middle.

I frowned at myself. I don't check myself out in mirrors. That procedure was reserved for self centered Aphrodite girls (read: Drew).

I smoothed down my shirt, even though it would never get any cleaner or unwrinkled, and pulled on my cargo Capri's.

I waved a hand and a doorway appeared. I stepped through, and walked into Percy's bedroom.

Everyone was already gathered there. Osiris was standing leisurely in the corner, Beck was sitting on a chair that certainly hadn't been there yesterday, skimming his finger along one of the edges of his sword, and Ember was sitting cross legged on the floor; her hair still up in a messy hipster bun, etching out new designs on her bow, and Percy was quite literally twiddling his thumbs.

They looked up when they saw me.

"'Morning, Annabeth! Did you get the note?" Ember asked.

I nodded. They smiled expectantly.

I admit, I hadn't made a decision while I was eating; I was too busy trying not the scarf down the eggs and toast.

I quickly sorted out the pros and cons. Pro, Percy and I wouldn't have to run for our lives anymore. Con, we would have to start all over again, in a new place, make new friends, and leave our old friends behind, for good.

But we could be heroes again.

But was it worth it?

Their smiles wavered when I kept silent. I sucked in a breath through my teeth. My shoulders sagged slightly. Percy's eyebrows tugged in concern. He mouthed: 'Are you okay?'

I ignored him and focused on Osiris. Ember was gazing up at me hopefully, which I didn't understand.

I threatened to murder her and throw her carcass to the wolves barely 12 hours ago; how and why was she so hopeful of me saying yes?

Or maybe she's hopeful of you saying no…

I shook my thoughts out of my head and turned to Osiris. I stiffly nodded, and answered, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I accept your offer, Osiris. I will join the army of Chaos."

He smiled brightly, and my insides felt like they were being warmed up. He was like the grandfather figure I never had.

His grin was infectious, and soon I was beaming. Percy let out a barely audible sigh of relief. I went over to him.

"You okay?" I asked him after kissing him good morning.

He grinned and nodded. "Better than okay, actually. I don't know how long we were asleep, but the pain is completely gone. I feel like I could throw a tree a hundred yards."

I laughed, and in the spur of the moment, I didn't think of what I was saying. "You and I both know that Grover would murder you if you did so… if Juniper didn't get to you first."

Percy laughed. "Yeah, I miss those two."

And just like that, our happiness ended like it fell off a cliff. My eyes stung with unshed tears.

I turned away so Osiris wouldn't see. I don't know, but I doubt a warrior is supposed to show tears on her first day of recruition.

Percy wiped my cheeks. "Shh, don't cry, Wise Girl… It-it was for the best. You and I both know that. We'll… we'll probably get to see them again, someday." He tried to reassure me.

I sadly smiled. Here he was, trying to comfort me, when he was the one recovering from an injury. I ignored the fact that he had said 'probably.'

xXxXx

Katie's POV

When I woke up, I found my cheeks wet with tears. My breaths were ragged and my chest heaved. I turned over and found a puddle of sweat and tears on my pillow, causing the cotton fabric to turn slick.

I flipped the pillow over and sat up in my bunk.

The sun was barely over the tree line, but the morning light turned the cabin gold.

Mahogany wood framed bunks, golden wheat colored sheets, barley colored walls, and light wood floors. My siblings were snoring soundly, but I couldn't fall back asleep.

I stared at the empty bunk that lay above me.

Jonas's old bunk.

I turned over onto my side and let the tears fall.

Author's Note:

Okay, I decided to fuck it. There's no way that I wasn't going to continue this story just because you people don't want to review._.

Thanks for reading (if anyone even did)

JeynaxPercabeth