A/N: I apologize for the Hiatus guys, school.. School, and more school! This chapter is really interesting though.

A/N: Piper oh my gosh Piper! What are you doing PIPER!?

A/N: Please Read & Review ^^ as I cannot become a better writer without feedback, but most of all ENJOY!

IV.

PIPER

Piper really didn't want to be on this quest.

Several days ago, she and her boyfriend Jason Grace were traveling around seeing the world while Jason fulfilled his promise to make every god, and goddess known publicly, so that they'd all be treated as equals. "There will be no more minor gods. Only gods." Jason had recently told her while they were on a trip to meet Aeolus, God of the Winds in Italy. She'd still completely not forgiven him for being so selfish, he'd basically chosen the gods over his own girlfriend. Sure it might've been for the greater good, and sure it may have been the push Olympus needed, but she wanted to be selfish herself; Jason was hers, and only hers.

"Earth to Pipes." Jason's voice danced in her ear. She'd been daydreaming about her, and Jason's romantic trips all over the world these last two months. From Paris, to France, to Hawaii, at least one good thing had come out of Jason's prideful subconscious. That being they could finally be together.. Alone. She looked forward meeting his icy, blue eyes. By the gods he was gorgeous.

"What sparky?" She playfully teased, slapping the back of his shoulder. Jason smiled, finally the pain, and regret had seemed to completely vanish from his face. He still had times where he looked sickly, she couldn't tell if it was because of the encounter with the mania of Beryl Grace, his mother, or because of Leo.. She couldn't bring herself to think about the latino-demigod. He was like a little brother to her, and Jason's best friend, the pain would never truly fade away. Piper had mourned for her deceased companion for weeks after his disappearance, simply thinking about him now brought her onto the verge of tears.

"Percy wants y-" He paused, studying her face. They'd been together so long that secrets weren't really secrets anymore, she couldn't hide anything from Jason if she tried, and things she did manage to conceal were only confessed on her own accordance.

"You're thinking about Leo.. Aren't you?" His voice was calm, and serious though compassion flowed through his words. She nodded, squeezing his hand in frustration. "He did what he felt was right Pipes, we've got to respect his decision by being strong for him." He shifted in her direction with caution, so that Porkpie wouldn't accidentally buck him off. She softened her grip, cradling his palms in hers.

"What did Percy want?"

"I know you don't like to do this, but he needs you t-, we need you to.. Take a look into Katoptris. Find out what's up ahead.." She could feel his hands tighten around her own. Whenever they were like this she felt like anything could be accomplished. Piper unwrapped herself from Jason, unsheathing her dagger Katoptris from her waist.

"Jason don't you remember?" She looked at him questionably. "Ever since the Oracle of Delphi was captured by Gaea, and her forces it's been unresponsive." Jason frowned like a disappointed puppy, he signaled Percy, giving him a thumbs down. Percy seemed to understand the meaning, returning back to his argument with Annabeth, and Blackjack.

"I'm sorry Ja-"

"It's not your fault, so don't apologize Piper." He sternly clamped his hand onto her shoulder reassuring her that everything was going to be alright as long as they were together. "We've been through worse." He tried for a smile. Piper leaned forward kissing Jason, "get back to work Sparky." She laughed, hugging onto him tighter, as he re-navigated himself.

"Yo! Guys!" Percy shouted. "Blackjack says we should take a break he, and his buddies need a quick rest, and it couldn't hurt if we got some too." The pegasi quickly halted mid-air, whining in agreement. "You sure Percy? It's only dawn, we've got a few hours till nightfall." Jason called back.

"Perc-, I mean the horses are right." Nico stammered. "Once the sun falls, the ghost of the dead will be stronger. Along with anything else that lingers in the night." Nico began to look around cautiously as if someone, or something was eavesdropping on their conversation. "Well that settles it." Annabeth blurted out, not looking up from her map of Death Valley that she luckily managed to find lying around earlier in the sand. "There should be several cave indentations not far from here.." She traced her fingers on the worn out paper.

"There." She pointed a few meters north. "That should be a safe place to camp out until sunrise." No one disagreed. How could they? I mean she was basically the closest thing to a professional architect they had, not to mention a child of Athena. If there was anyone Piper would gladly follow to her death with, Annabeth Chase would be her first, and last choice. They were best friends, practically sisters after all.

The horses began to descend, until Piper caught something in the glint of Katoptris. "Wait!" She shouted. "What is it Pipes?!" Jason hurriedly rebutted. "I just saw something in Katoptris" she held up the dagger, penetratingly staring into it as if to scare any unforeseen events to the surface. "You're probably just hungry.." Percy added.

"No. I saw something you guys." She pointed to the east, past several jagged cliffs. The sun was going down faster than before, they'd only have around an hour to set up camp, and even less if they investigated Piper's own suspicions regarding Katoptris' mirroring. "I-It looked like a body." Her voice shook with uncertainty, and reluctance.

"I wouldn't doubt it. This is after all Death Valley, so many lost souls, and travelers have met their untimely demise here. This whole place reeks of the dead." Nico frowned. "But.. I suppose we should go check it out. Good or bad, we can't just leave Piper's suspicions unchecked." Percy wasn't to keen on the idea of getting Annabeth, and himself into a possible scuffle this early in the quest, but he agreed nonetheless. "Fine. Lead the way."

They passed several caves which looked to be inhabited by gods knows what, hopefully their own settlement point wouldn't be home to hundreds of man-eating zombies.. Or worse. After flying for several minutes, Piper witnessed what Katoptris had shown to her. In the not so far distance, a man dressed in a black tank top, camouflage-pants, and black boots laid unconscious in the desert sand.

"Down there!" Piper yelled. She hesitantly wondered why her friends hadn't responded, but was quickly filled in on the questioning moments later. "That's.. A lot of monsters." Percy proclaimed. Piper was in awe at the sheer number of Dracanae that were quickly approaching the man's body. "We've got to get to him before they do." Jason commanded.

"Go boy!" Jason tightened the reins around Porkpie, as the Pegasus swiftly dived onto the unconscious man's position. "Piper." Jason glanced at her, they didn't need to converse. With that simple, quick glance she knew what he wanted her to do. "On it" she hastily replied, unzipping their supplies, and pulling out a plethora of medicinal curatives.

Percy, Annabeth, and Nico quickly joined Jason on the front lines, preparing themselves for an all out slaughter. Piper didn't have the luxury of worrying about Jason, or Annabeth or any of her other friends. She had to do her job, and that was to revive this man if life still lingered. She quickly ran to the unconscious man's resting spot, taking in his attributes.

She was.. Awestruck. This man was beyond gorgeous, in the rough, bad-boy way. His face was chiseled, but rugged with scruff, he had a scar on his lip similar to Jason's, and another deep in his right eyebrow. His skin was a caramel complexion, and his hair was shaved in a buzz-cut manor, as if he'd been an applicant in the army. Every time she glanced at the man's face she would blush. Then she thought back to Jason, and felt betrayal, she had a boyfriend what was she doing? She quickly sheltered her childish emotions, she had a job to do.

Piper began to unpack several curatives, mixing water, ambrosia, and unicorn draught into a thin pasty liquid. She'd began studying in medicinal applications several months ago realizing that she was utterly helpless when Jason had gotten impaled by an imperial gold sword. She didn't want anyone else she cared for to hurt, or be susceptible to injury. She slowly began to pour the medicinal concoction into the unconscious man's mouth.. "PIPER! HURRY!" Annabeth shouted. She looked behind her, and her friends were only minutes away from being enveloped by hordes of Dracanae. "Think Piper. THINK" she irritatingly whispered under her breath.

Maybe the brew needed to be forced through his system orally for a faster response? The pain it would cause Jason to see her kissing another man even though it was to save a life.. Would he understand? Piper couldn't dwell on the thought, she'd only had moments before her friends were slaughtered right in front of her. She had to make a decision.

Piper could here swords, and insults flying behind her, the pressure only made her more unnerving. She hastily sipped the liquid concoction she amateurishly brewed, leaning forward toward the unconscious man's face. Her nerves quickly began to shrink, she couldn't do this.. She had to.. She wanted to.. No she couldn't.. But.. But.. Her lips were only inches away, until his eyes jutted open, and a long-needed gasp for air succumbed over him. Piper jumped up, brainlessly swallowing her own medicine down the wrong tube, and hacking like a maniac.

The stranger looked around in bewilderment, confusion must've stricken him. It didn't seem to last long however, because the man quickly unsheathed two odd-looking gold weapons, and walked over to her.

"Thanks for saving me." The man stood staring into her eyes with his cold, stony-grey eyes. "N-No problem." Piper stuttered, this was no time to be nervous, but she just couldn't help it. This man was so intimidating, yet so.. Piper was so deep in thought, she had only caught the last glimpse of him speaking before he quickly joined her friends in the upcoming brawl. "Names Dante. Dante Rivera."

"Sup." Percy nonchalantly nodded.

"Yo." Dante nodded back.

"You ever.. Ya know.. Done this before?" Percy bobbed his head at the incoming Dracanae army.

"Yup." Dante promptly retorted. "These women aren't my type." He smirked at his remark, charging into the crowd of snake-women.. Yet again. "Oh great.." Annabeth sighed. "We've got another Percy, and Jason on our hands." Nico, Jason, Percy, and Annabeth charged in right behind Dante swinging at everything that was green, scaly, and ugly.

"We could really use some lightning" Percy shouted, in the midst of bisecting a Dracanae in two. "Oh, and some dead guys too!" Nico mumbled something, before raising several dead servants to aid in the brawl. Then a huge bolt of lightning pierced the ground, disintegrating every Dracanae it touched. "How about a little hydration water boy?" Jason countered.

"Totally would bro. But ya know.. We're in the desert."

"Oh right."

Piper was moments away from joining the monstrous showdown, until the red sky had grew its own shadow.. "Uh.. Guys.. Look.." Piper pointed directly above them. "That can't be good." Percy responded, open-mouthed.

"Not good." Dante re-insured the uneasiness. "Not good at all."

A/N: PIPER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? ( -_- )

A/N: Dante P.O.V next ^_^