Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson

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The rest of the week wasn't a pleasant one. The camp got word of the fight between Poseidon and Zeus and now the cabins were pitting themselves against each other, taking sides. As well as constantly getting into fights. It wasn't fun because it seemed like Chiron had to break up at least a dozen fights a day.

I was usually just doing my daily activities and suddenly got caught in the middle of a brawl. First it'd be screaming then, if they had them, the weapons would come out. It was very hazardous.

Like right now. I was dodging flying fists, trying to get out of the firing range. There were insults being thrown every which way, and a lot of screaming.

As soon as I was out and free, I ran straight toward the Big House to get Chiron before someone got hurt, or worse.

I dashed up the steps of the porch and threw the door open. I was out of breath, and when I opened my mouth to speak Chiron held up a hand to stop me.

"I'm already on it." he said walking past me through the open door.

Things were getting bad. What was holding Percy, Annabeth, and Grover up? I mean, I'll give them a few days, maybe four or five but this was getting scary. We were fighting amongst each other. I shudder to even think about how the gods were getting along right now.

I sighed and closed the door. I didn't know what to do with myself anymore. If I couldn't train without getting potentially maimed, battered, or bruised then what could I do? I suppose I could read, but I didn't feel in the mood. I didn't feel in the mood for anything right now.

I sighed again as I watched Chiron gallop down to the cabins to stop the confrontation.

"Hey, you okay?" Luke asked walking up onto the porch of the Big House.

I shrugged and grimaced while heading over to the railing at the end. Luke followed.

"I feel the same." he muttered.

We stood there for a few moments; I was looking out at the Long Island Sound. The breeze was cold, but the sun was… kind of out. It was really watery—for the lack of a better word—like a kid had taken some yellow water color paint and painted it in the sky.

"Luke!" someone called. It sounded strangely like Percy.

We both spun around. Floating several feet in front of Luke was Percy's head, in an Iris Message. Thankfully I was far enough away that I was out of range. But I felt awkward listening into a conversation. So, I started to leave but Luke quickly reached out, grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently before letting go while exclaiming, "Percy!"

Did that mean he wanted me to stay?

I stood back a little (still out of sight), crossed my arms, chewed my lip, and shifted from foot to foot.

"Is that Annabeth, too? Thank the gods! Are you guys okay?" Luke continued, acting like nothing had happened at all. I'll admit he was a good actor (which was kind of perturbing). Where had he learned to lie like—must run in the blood.

"We're… uh… fine," I heard Annabeth stammer. I was very tempted right then to see what she was doing, what she looked like, but I thought better of it. Besides, it was a little late for impressing Luke. I wondered if he'd ever tell her that I was going out with him now.

"We thought—Chiron—I mean—" she continued to stammer.

"He's down at the cabins." Luke's change in tone wasn't hard to hear. "We're… having some issues with the campers. Listen, is everything cool with you? Is Grover all right?" He quickly changed the subject.

"I'm right here," Grover's voice called. I saw slight movement in the Iris Message. "What kind of issues?"

Just as he finished his sentence blaring music blasted from the IM, making me jump it was so sudden. I continued to chew on my lip, almost raw from how much pressure I was putting on it.

"Chiron had to—what's the noise?" Luke asked having to shout over the music. I could practically feel the bass hitting me in the chest it was so loud.

"I'll take care of it." Annabeth's voice came. "Grover, come on!"

I heard some mumbling, which I assumed was from Grover and then, "Give Percy the nozzle and come on!" It was Annabeth again.

"Chiron had to break up a fight," Luke explained still yelling. "Things are pretty tense here, Percy. Word leaked about the Zeus-Poseidon standoff." It had just occurred to me that Luke could've possibly been the one to "accidentally" leak the word. "We're still not sure how—probably the same scumbag"—Luke was a really good actor—"who summoned the hellhound." Did that confirm it then? "Now the campers are taking sides. It's shaping up like the Trojan War all over again. Aphrodite, Ares, and Apollo are backing Poseidon, more or less. Athena is backing Zeus."

The music then went down almost a hundred percent and things seemed quiet again, except for the ringing in my ears now.

"So what's your status?" Luke asked in a normal tone again. "Chiron will be sorry he missed you."

Then Percy proceeded to tell him everything, and I mean everything about what had happened while they were away. I felt like I shouldn't be there even more then. It felt kind of… personal. It just felt wrong.

Finally my lip got so raw; I stopped chewing and started fiddling with my fingers.

"I wish I could be there," Luke sympathized. "We can't help much from here, I'm afraid, but listen… it had to be Hades who took the master bolt." My head snapped up and I looked at Luke. I started involuntarily digging my fingernails into my palms. He was setting the bait. But now wasn't the time to ruin his plan. He'd never trust me again and I'd lose my chance to convince him that helping Kronos was not a good idea.

Luke continued as I swallowed the bile that was forming in my throat. "He was there at Olympus at the winter solstice. I was chaperoning a field trip and we saw him."

"But Chiron said the gods can't take each other's magic items directly." Percy objected. It was true… but Percy being Percy he'd be gullible enough to believe a good amount of whatever Luke told him.

"That's true," Luke paused for a moment looking deep in thought. "Still… Hades has the helm of darkness. How could anyone else sneak into the throne room and steal the master bolt? You'd have to be invisible."

There was silence for a moment before Luke realized what he'd just said. I covered my mouth and tried not to laugh.

"Oh, hey," he protested quickly. "I didn't mean Annabeth. She and I have known each other forever." That had me clenching my jaw. "She would never… I mean, she's like a little sister to me." And that had me feeling so much better.

Then another noise. First it was silent, no music. Then screams, the slamming of car doors, and the screech of, what sounded like, tires burning rubber on asphalt.

"You'd better go see what that was," Luke suggested. "Listen, are you wearing those flying shoes?" I nicked my finger and I looked down to see a small drop of blood ooze from the wound. Whoops. "I'll feel better if I know they've done you some good."

"Oh…! Uh, yeah!" Percy sounded guilty. "Yeah, they've come in handy."

"Really?" Luke asked sounding excited. Maybe not guilty enough. But, I suppose, that was a good thing for him and for me. "They fit and everything?"

There was a loud click and the mist started to disappear.

"Well, take care of yourself out there," Luke called trying to fit what he needed in before the mist totally evaporated. "And tell Grover it'll be better this time! Nobody will get turned into a pine tree if he just—" Luke broke off as the last traces of mist disappeared.

I started to chew on the other side of my lip as Luke turned toward me.

"S-so, how're things going?" I asked. Luke walked over to the railing again. I followed and stood next to him and waited patiently, looking out over the Long Island Sound like before Percy called.

"According to plan." he finally said (he was probably making sure it was safe to tell me). "They should be meeting Ares soon."

I looked over at him in disbelief. "You didn't tell me anything about Ares." I said crossing my arms and glaring at him.

He had that face of someone who'd just been caught doing something they shouldn't have been doing. I saw him swallow and then turn to look at me with a very, very guilty look on his face.

Luke cleared his throat. "Well… I… I got cocky." he admitted. "Zeus had sent out his sons and daughters to track down the thief, and Ares just so happened to catch me. I could've beaten him, but like I said I was… distracted and he managed to disarm me and take the items of power. He threatened to return them to Olympus and have me burned alive. But… Kronos… helped me say the right things to convince him: a great war between the gods.

"All he had to do was hide the items away and watch everyone fight. Ares, being the god of war, really liked the idea so he let me go and I returned to Olympus before anyone realized that I was ever gone." He finished.

I huffed and turned back toward the railing again. Luke turned back as well. We were quiet for a several moments.

I turned toward him, took in a breath and opened my mouth to speak but I didn't want to say that and stopped. Then I thought of something else but decided at the last minute that didn't sound very smart. I tried again but this time I lost my nerve and closed my mouth once again.

Well that answered the question about where he was hiding the items. A god could do a pretty good job of hiding them.

I thought of another thing to say and turned to say it but Luke interrupted me.

"Are you actually going to say something this time?" he asked a mocking gleam in his eye.

I glowered at him.

He chuckled.

"Oh!" I exclaimed turning heel and stalking off.

Luke followed, and I could just hear the laugh in his voice as he called, "Tori, come on. I was just joking."

I stomped down the steps, ignoring him. I continued walking, with Luke trying to apologize behind me, when I accidentally stepped into a small ditch and went falling. Luke, apparently, wasn't prepared for that and tripped as well, falling on top of me.

"Hey, beautiful." he said smiling.

I rolled my eyes.

"Get off me!" I objected putting my hands on his chest and pushing, but not very hard.

Luke sighed, his breath blowing into my face (which smelled like peppermints, by the way).

"I'm sorry, all right?" he said sincerely, looking straight into my eyes.

I pretended to think about this. "Oh, all right. I forgive you." I sighed.

Luke smiled and started to lean down but right before we could kiss someone cleared their throat.

We both looked and saw Chiron.

I turned beet red as Luke hopped up, pulling me with him.

"How-how did it go?" I asked trying to hide my embarrassment.

Chiron grimaced. "I've got them to stop fighting… for now. But I don't know how long that'll last." He sighed and started trotting back toward the Big House. I turned to watch him go.

I let out a heavy sigh (and started chewing on my lip, again). Was it really worth it? How long should I wait before I tried to convince Luke to stop all of this nonsense? How long was too long? I couldn't wait too long. But, how would I know when the time was right?

"You look distressed." Luke commented.

I let out another sigh and turned to face him.

"It's just… hard to… take in, I suppose." I lied. "All the fighting with each other. I'm… not exactly use to it. I don't think I've ever seen it this bad before."

As the days past I became more and more on edge. Things were not looking good. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover had been gone for a while now, and they hadn't contacted Camp Half-Blood since about five days ago. What was worse was today they would only have one day—one!—to retrieve the master bolt (and helm of darkness, I think) to Olympus or all Hades would break loose (literally and metaphorically), and it wasn't going to be very pretty.

What was taking them so long? Had they got caught up with something? But what exactly could that something hold them for five days, at the most. It just didn't make any sense.

My worries and stresses became worse when I realized that they could be dead. Luke tried to convince me that they weren't dead. He sounded really confident, but it was still hard to believe him. How could he be so sure?

Add that to the fact that now I was having dreams from Kronos and you could probably guess my nerves were fried, and my stress levels were way over the healthy limit. Not even training got rid of even a small portion of the stress that I was feeling.

The first time I was brought down to Kronos's "lair" it scared me half-to-death. His voice, and feeling of dread and freezing cold didn't help either.

I know what you're planning, he told me the night before the solstice, his voice so evil, so powerful, I almost keeled over.

After I got over the shock of feeling his voice directed at me, a pang of fear shot up my spine. But I couldn't let him know. Let him find out.

I have no idea what you're talking about. I answered in the bravest voice I could muster with being in a place like this.

He laughed, making my heart stutter, making my chest feel tight, making me feel slightly dizzy and sick.

Very well, young godling. Whatever you say.

I'm not young. I'm eighteen. I objected. I hated it when anyone called me young. It was really annoying. Did I look young? Did I look that short?

He laughed again, making my knees feel weak. I didn't think I could take another laugh.

We've got a feisty one here, don't we? he commented. You could join us, you know. Help Luke. Help me. I swallowed hard. Let's face the cold, hard facts. Apollo doesn't care about you. That's why he didn't claim you. He only claimed your brother because he thinks your brother is better than you.

My jaw clenched and my hands balled into fists. That's not true. I was mostly telling myself.

Stop denying it, demigod. You know it's true. Apollo would be too ashamed to claim you.

And on that happy note, I was jolted awake by a beam of sunlight shining through the window and right into my eyes.

I shot up in my sleeping bag as I realized what today was: the summer solstice. If Percy didn't get the master bolt back by tonight, the ground would be flooded with blood; the blood of war.

Everyone was feeling it. Everyone was too tense to even fight anymore. That or they were saving their strength for when the war did start.

Things tentatively continued at camp, but all the talk was about whether Percy would make it in time or not. No one really paid attention to what they were doing, even I couldn't focus.

Luke looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep at all, and looked especially distressed; like he had a constant migraine that wouldn't go away. I kept trying to go up to him and ask him what was wrong, what had happened, but something always stopped me: someone else would go up to him before I could, or I was dragged by a cabin mate to some other activity that Luke wasn't in. It was getting really frustrating. Was I ever going to get to ask him what happened?

The sun was setting and a war hadn't begun… yet. I was still waiting. But suddenly someone from the Athena cabin came running down.

"They're back! They're back!" he yelled before dashing off toward the hill. I squinted my eyes and looked closely. The first thing I saw was Thalia's pine tree and next to it appeared three figures. All the stress I'd been feeling lifted off my shoulders. They made it! They actually made it! They're the first since… well, since Luke.

Speaking of Luke…? Where was he? I looked around, but he was nowhere in sight. Was he keeping up the act and running to greet Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, or did he go off alone?

I wanted to go look for him, but I didn't know where to start. Besides, the crowd that was running up from their activities was pushing and shoving me forward. I had to start jogging in the same direction in order to not get run over. I'll admit I was kind of surprised to see everyone so eager to see them. I mean it's great they made it and didn't die, but not only an hour ago were they fighting and shouting. It just seemed… odd.

As almost everyone from camp (Chiron, the naiads, the satyrs, the campers to name a few), went to meet the three heroes, they made their way down the hill and were immediately swallowed up by the crowd that was cheering and shouting with joy. I stayed a ways back, as the crowd started to move toward me again for the ceremonial burning of the burial shrouds after the laurel wreaths and big feast.

It was pretty enjoyable, but it would've been better if I had been with Luke. Who, by the way, still hadn't shown himself since the announcement that they came back, alive and well. The master bolt safely returned (and I'm assuming the helm of darkness as well).

After the big feast everyone went down to the bonfire. Probably the biggest bonfire I can remember since I first came here. Sure it was the same songs and s'mores, but there wasn't going to be war! And even better they had managed to complete the quest and come back pretty unscathed. It was almost like we were celebrating life in general.

Luke finally showed himself, but as the summer wore on, he wouldn't speak to me. He avoided me, really. It hurt. It hurt a lot. I tried to talk to him but he would say he just remembered he had something else to do and run off before I could object. I didn't ever see him when we went to eat, and none of my daily activities were with him. I wanted to comfort him, but he wouldn't let me! He just kept pushing me away! He was being so… annoying! And jerk-off-ish! And… hurtful.

I felt… heartbroken. I don't want to sound sappy or weak, but I was heartbroken. Why wouldn't he let me in?

For about two scary weeks I worried that Kronos had told him of my plan to convince him to stop helping him and now Luke loathed me; despised me. Then I thought maybe he had been pretending. That he really didn't love me and was just putting up an act so that I would keep his secret. Now that his plan had failed, he didn't need me anymore. Why waste time pretending to love a girl whose father won't even claim her? (That one hurt the most.)

Time flew by, even though I wasn't having very much fun anymore. Soon it was July.

Well, I guess July 4th was a little better than the other days. I was really looking forward to seeing what the Hephaestus kids would come up with this year. Being demigods they just wouldn't settle for boring red, white, and blue fireworks. Nope, they had to make animations out of their fireworks.

So, I was pretty psyched to see what they'd do this year. (Would've been better with Luke….)

Other than that July flew by and Luke still avoided me. Before I knew it, it was our last night at the camp. I lived in New York, and wasn't a year-rounder, but I was supposed to be going to college now. (I had, somehow, managed to graduate from high school.) Instead, I decided to just sign up for a community college for "special" kids like me. Not exactly the best, but I really wanted to stay in New York. I'm not quite sure how this would work out, but it would work somehow.

Anyway, the last night at camp. Things were the same, only they weren't. There was chatter about what people would be doing over the year, excitement for getting to go out into the real world, and trepidation for getting to go out into the real world. Some were just more confident than others. I wasn't too worried. I was pretty good as dusting monsters, but that was rarely, because I was pretty good at keeping a low profile, too.

We did the usual: food offering to the gods, eating, and then going down to the bonfire. Only this time we got our beads. I was usually really hyped to get my bead. It meant another year survived. I get to see another day. But tonight I wasn't, not only because I'd been gloomy since last month, but also because of the bead they chose.

"The choice was unanimous," Luke announced as I stared down at the pitch black bead with a sea-green trident in the middle. Not as unanimous as he thought. "This bead commemorates the first Son of the Sea God at this camp"—well if you put it that way, I guess it wasn't as bad as I was making it—"and the quest he undertook in the darkest part of the Underworld to stop a war!" I closed my hand around the small bead as everyone, even the Ares cabin, stood and cheered. I stood but I stayed quiet. It was still a painful reminder.

The next morning I got the usual letter informing me that I'd have to move out or get eaten by harpies, or tell the Big House I was staying all year.

I didn't have much to pack. All my things fit in one black suitcase and a backpack. The only thing was, I didn't really want leave just yet. Also, I seemed to be missing The Red Pyramid. I don't know exactly when I'd lost it, but now I just couldn't find it. I had asked around the cabin but no one said they'd seen it (of course I was wary of their answers because they stole things for a living).

I stayed behind a little while longer enjoying the emptiness and quietness of the cabin now that everyone had left. The ones who were staying were out and about. I had gone through my things just to make sure that I hadn't accidentally packed my book and didn't remember it (it wasn't there) and was packing my things back in when the door went.

"Tori?" I froze. What should I say? What should I do? How should I act? Mad or happy? Why was I even debating this? "Tori?"

I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart and continued to pack my things.

"Oh, so you're talking to me now?" I asked him putting as much acid into my voice as I could. I felt him walk up beside me and I tried not to have a heart attack. I bit my lip and zipped up my suitcase.

A familiar looking book appeared on top just as I pulled my hands away.

My anger toward him had officially reached its boiling point. I spun on Luke.

"You could have just asked." I told him through clenched teeth.

"You were right. It was a good book." he told me.

"Oh!" I exclaimed turning and grabbing the first thing that I could grab, which happened to be the book, and unhesitatingly threw it at him. He quickly dodged it his hands up in surrender.

"Tori—" he tried.

I stalked up to him. "Don't, 'Tori' me!" I exclaimed putting both my hands on his chest and shoving him back, hard. "You totally ignore me for a month-and-a-half and then on the last day that I'm going to see you before nine months away you decide to talk to me. To return a book that you stole from me! The nerve of some people."

"Just take a deep breath and hear me out, please." he asked in a calm, soothing voice. I glowered at him and took deep breaths, it didn't help.

"This better be good, or so help me." I warned.

Luke put his hands on my tense shoulders.

"Relax. Just breath." he coaxed. "I'm sorry that I ignored you. I was… dealing with some issues. I just needed some time to myself."

So it took a month-and-a-half? I pushed his hands off my shoulders. "That's just not good enough." I told him quietly, walking past him to pick up my book.

"I was punished." Luke said as I bent over and reached for the book. I stood up as silence filled the room, as Luke let that settle in. I looked at the novel in my hands and started toying with it. Finally, after several moments of silence I turned around. Luke still had his back toward me.

"I'm sorry." I murmured walking back to my suitcase. I shoved the book inside. I heard Luke move, and felt his arms come around my waist. The gesture startled me, but I got over the shock quickly. I laid my hands over his clasped ones, and rested my head against his chest and closed my eyes.

"I didn't only come to return your book." Luke murmured. The tone of his voice made my heart squeeze painfully. I pulled away and turned slightly too look up at him.

"What? What is it?" I asked searching the depths of his beautiful blue eyes.

Instead of answering me, he leaned down and kissed me, one of his hands coming up to knot in my hair. There was a little more force in this kiss than the last time, but, that, I didn't mind. It felt… nice. I don't think I'd kissed him since the beginning of the summer. It felt good to know that he still loved me.

When we pulled apart we both were breathing hard. Luke pulled me in closer to him and I breathed in his wonderful smell. Now that my head was a little clearer I realized that that kiss felt like more than just a show of affection… almost like, a goodbye. That didn't settle with me very well.

I wanted to ask him if he really was leaving and why and where and if I could possibly come with him. But before I could Luke pulled back.

We stared at each other and the words got lost. I couldn't say them.

He brushed some stay hair back behind my ear before kissing my forehead.

"You should get going before noon comes." he whispered in my ear.

"Luke—" I started as he pulled away more and started heading toward the door. "Luke, wait!" I called as he stepped through the door. I ran forward and followed him out. Only… when I looked around he wasn't there anymore. I deflated. How'd he do that? And why didn't he come back when I called him?

I sighed and went back inside. I checked my watch. I still had an hour, at least, but I still didn't want to leave. I grabbed my bags and instead went up to the Big House porch. I set my bags down and leaned against the railing, staring out at the camp. I'd miss it, but I was going to be coming back. I was going to survive out there in the concrete jungle for nine months and I was going to come back. I was going to see Luke again.

Wasn't I?

Why did that thought disturb me so much? Why did it feel like I wasn't going to see him next year?

I walked over to the other side of the porch and looked down at the strawberry fields. Their smell wafting up with the summer breeze. It was intoxicating, like some kind of fancy cologne or perfume. I vaguely wondered if you could bottle the smell and make a perfume….

I'm not sure how long I stood there, staring out at the fields, the pavilion, the cabins; getting lost in my thoughts when suddenly a cry of help broke me out of my reveries. I looked up and around for where the cry had come from. There! Just outside the woods. I couldn't see who exactly it was… a counselor, two wood nymphs definitely, and the last person… I couldn't tell.

"Help us!" the counselor cried again, waving a hand. I raced down the steps and over to them. As I got closer I recognized the shock of black hair that was Percy's.

"What happened?" I asked breathless.

"Help me carry him to the Big House! Quickly!" the counselor instructed. I nodded and pulled one of Percy's arms over my shoulders. He was completely out. Together we rushed as quickly as we could to the Big House. I don't know what happened, but I had a feeling if we didn't get him there very soon he'd be dead.

Hope you enjoyed!

.happiness.

~ See you at Camp Half-Blood!