Hazel felt like she just introduced two nuclear bombs. Now she was waiting to see which one would explode first.

-Son of Neptune

Percy opened his mouth, his voice the only sound in the living room.

Dear Percy,

Remember when we first met, fighting two Gorgons? And then later that day, Juno/Hera decided to test you as well. Your first day at Camp Jupiter was probably one of the most eventful ones that all of the Roman demigods had ever seen, since Mars even decided to pay a visit. Not too soon afterward, we were off on a quest on the "Camp Jupiter Navy".

The raven-haired man's mouth curved upward at the memories of his first time meeting Hazel and Frank. Hazel's description of those times was fairly accurate as well, although missing out several details. He paused in the reading for a moment to reminisce, and then continued.

I want to thank you for helping me against the karpoi and leading us to shelter with Iris -

"You met the rainbow goddess?" the Latino man in the room asked curiously. "Does she have rainbow hair?"

Percy tilted his head to the left. "I thought I told you guys about that, or did I?" He turned his head to glance at the blonde beside him, who shook her head 'no'.

"I don't remember hearing about that," she replied, her gray eyes gleaming as she wondered what had happened with Percy's encounter with the messenger goddess. "But please, continue reading the letter, Seaweed Brain." Her pet name for the son of Poseidon was hinted with sarcasm, but Percy shrugged it off and started from the beginning of the last sentence.

I want to thank you for helping me against the karpoi and leading us to shelter with Iris. It also means a lot that you listened when I told both of you about my past and that you didn't make fun of me for it, unlike others who may. On our quest, you probably also remember meeting Thanatos, the god of death.

Percy shuddered as he remembered the battle in Alaska rather than meeting Death himself. But he did fear Death just as everyone else, or maybe a little less. Taking a deep breath, he continued reading.

Thanatos just visited and is about to take me with him back to the Underworld.

A cold silence rested over the friends, so quiet that you would hear the rhythmic beating of each heart and the breathing of each set of lungs. Frank's eyes had widened as tears started to form. Nico lowered his head and closed his eyes. All of them were surprised, but yet it didn't sound too far fetched.

"Did you feel her die?" Frank asked the half-brother of his lover, his voice soft yet questioning.

The pale-skinned man fiddled with his fingers, but solemnly nodded. Voice cracking, he explained, "I woke up in the middle of the night, feeling a buzz in my ears. I glanced out the window, watching the wind blow past the trees and assumed that Death had taken someone. I didn't realize that it was her..." He trailed off as his dark eyes filled with sadness.

The son of Mars could only blink back the drops of water trying to escape his eyes, and glanced at the raven-haired man. Percy hesitantly opened his mouth and began to speak aloud the last sentences on the paper.

I wish that we could have gotten to know each other more well over the years, maybe become closer friends. Whatever the reason is for my depart, know that I cherished the time we had spent together.

Sincerely,

Hazel Levesque

"Formal," Leo joked dryly, noting that the female demigod had used her first and last name. Nico elbowed the son of Hephaestus hard in the rib, and Leo couldn't help but yelp. "I'm just trying to make the air lighter!"

Nico hissed, "Will you ever figure out when is the right time to joke and when is the right time to be quiet and solemn?"

"Death Boy, chill," the Latino tried to say soothingly while holding both hands up.

However, the son of Hades didn't follow out the order. "Telling me to chill will do quite the opposite, Valdez."

"That was fairly short," the Cherokee woman mused softly, not expecting anyone to reply. Annabeth did slowly nod in slight agreement, but the shock of Hazel's death had wrapped too tightly around her to say anything.

Percy sat down, the letter clutched tightly in his hands as if that were the life of Hazel. Frank wiped a few tears from his eyes and asked, "Who wants to read aloud next?"

Although she voted against sharing, Annabeth stood up and unfolded her letter. "I'd like to."

Thank you to everyone who has favorited and followed the story so far, even though we have no reviews yet. I'd love to hear your feedback and critique about this. Remember, the review, follow, and favorite buttons love you!

Signing out,

~Lauren