Thanks to all you who have reviewed! You were all amazed by Rachel killing Percy. But just a warning (and you'll notice this with all my stories) I can never write a story without killing at least one person. It's a problem I have…I must kill someone by the end of the story or else it doesn't feel like a good story to me. xD

"Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!" everyone was screaming in joy, and I couldn't help but admit that I too had a smile upon my face. I clapped a couple times to celebrate, then rested my back against the door of my cabin, which I had not left since I had read about my own death, wondering. Matt and Jane had forced Annabeth away, and I would get down to the bottom of that.

Had that been the reason for Matt grabbing me the night before? When he had nearly tried to kill me? He was probably afraid I would hurt him, or I would send Jane away for sending Annabeth away. I pulled Riptide from my pocket and looked at the pen carefully in my hand. We still had nothing that we knew about for the prophecy. But then a figure moved through the darkness towards me.

A blue-eyed girl sat beside me, "Jane?" I asked. She turned to me, sad. She obviously knew about Annabeth, and what had happened. She touched my arm lightly, then her hand traced down to the ground, and she heaved a sigh.

"I'm sorry, Percy."

I couldn't help but want to yell at her, I mean, part of this was her fault, she should be sorry. "About Annabeth? It's okay." I said, trying to pull from the subject.

We fell into silence, besides the yells and screams of the celebration, not a word was spoken. I had turned from Jane, trying to keep far from eye-contact with her. After what I had learned last night, there was no way I would want to speak to either her or her boyfriend. But then, something else happened. Jane placed her hand upon mine. I jumped and turned to her. "Not…exactly. Not all about Annabeth." she whispered.

Her blue eyes met my green eyes, and she pulled in towards me and did something unexpected. She kissed me. It felt wrong in so many ways; it was wrong against Annabeth; it was wrong against Matt. However, she didn't pull away, no matter how much I tried. Then I gave in.

Finally, she pulled from me, and a final firework exploded. And I remembered something.

"Merry Christmas," Annabeth walked over and kissed me then stood over me.

"What was that for?" I asked. Not that I didn't mind getting a kiss from Annabeth, but she laughed, which I also enjoyed, before sitting down.

"It's a common rumor that if you kiss at midnight, you fall in love forever."

"I thought that was only New Year's."

"Then we can try again." We both smiled. Annabeth's eyes looked above me out the window, and I followed her gaze, as a shooting star shot across the night sky. It was followed by a big BANG sound of fireworks.

I looked up into the sky, where a shooting star dragged. Silently, I pleaded that Annabeth was safe, and that maybe the book was wrong. Maybe I would see her before my death, and not just in my dreams, where I would think of her and Aaron every night.

I turned to Jane, "What about Matt?" I asked. She smiled and looked at me, shaking her head and looking at the starry sky. Whispers around us seemed to fade as time passed by, everybody was going back to their cabins, for New Years Eve had struck in and they had no more reason to be out late at night. They needed to get to bed, but Matt didn't know I had just kissed her girlfriend. That reminded me that Jane was still sitting beside me, and had not yet answered my question.

She finally met my eyes once more, "I don't care for that loser anymore," she muttered. I rubbed her shoulder, in my own exchange of sorrow. A tear dropped from her eye and she threw her arms around my neck, and started to weep. Right now, I don't care much for if she helped Matt get rid of my girlfriend.

I guess I should start calling her my ex-girlfriend now. Annabeth wasn't coming back for years now, not until moments before I die. I was single now, and as much as I hated to say it. I would do as the book said I did, I would try and hold onto any memories of Annabeth I had before she was totally gone from my memory.

She buried her face into my neck, and I could feel the tear drops fall down my chest. "Shh, it's okay," I whispered into her ear.

"No, it's not!" she cried, wiping the tears from her eyes as she backed from me. Her face was now red from crying, her eyes the same. "Matt was the one who let Annabeth leave. He yelled and screamed at her. One time he even hit her!" My heart was pounding out of my chest. In the book, I had never been told by Annabeth that she was physically abused by Matt. "He said she was disloyal, said she had no duty here anymore. She was showing off that she had traveled with you."

I had never realized all the things he had said about her. No wonder she wanted to leave, and I knew that deep down she always cared deeply for Luke ─ Aaron. I would never be able to remember that. She had a reason to leave; but everything happens for a reason. Jane rested her hand upon my chest and smiled, "I had heard you went into River Styx and became invincible. Is it true?" she asked me.

I nodded. She begged me to tell her all the stories of my adventures, but it was hard when I mentioned whenever Annabeth and I saved each other and had a 'happy moment' I should call it. When I came to the first time we kissed, my heart suddenly became 5 tons heavier. When I mentioned the most amazing underwater kiss anyone had ever experienced, I stopped. Jane rested a hand on my shoulder and laid her head alongside it. She told me I didn't have to continue, but I did anyways.

I told her about all my friends, and the great adventures we had together. I told her about all the heroic people in the battle. I told her of the camp's first official couple you could say, Beckendorf and Silena. I told her of Clarisse and Chris. Jane laughed whenever I talked about a funny story of our adventures.

Then we became quiet. We were leaning back against the door. Jane had her head rested upon my shoulder, her hand on my chest. My arm was wrapped around her shoulder. But then I had that queasy feeling again, about how two days ago this would've been wrong. Jane would've been with Matt and me with Annabeth. But now, I rested my head upon her and closed my eyes.

Jane moved from under me and stood up, and I pushed back to sit up properly. She looked over the top of the cabins, her face turning red. "It's getting bright on the horizon," she said. "Maybe a couple hours until the sun rises. I'm gonna get to bed." with that, Jane ran off and left me alone.

I went from dating, to single, and back to a relationship in less than a day.

-.-.-

When the sun broke from the horizon, Chiron called us all together for a small game of Capture the Flag. I would tell you who's on whose team, but by the time I finish, the game would've been over. All I should tell you is that I'm on Ares's side for once. I was against Jane, and Athena had the other flag. Clarisse put me on defense, which if I had the chance meant I could give Matt all it was worth.

"Take your places!" called Chiron. I moved out along the river and looked around. I was in a well hidden place, but not far from an area which everyone knew most people ran through. I had Riptide gripped tightly in my hand, my eyes focused on the boundary line in which I would pounce out at the first one who ran through. But I had defense behind me too for the weaker players who hadn't played offence much. It was a good plan, that's for sure.

The horn blew, and I moved throughout the brush, listening to the panting breathing of those running by. I saw Clarisse jump over the bounder behind me, muttering something about how I better not mess this up. I made no promises, for all I wanted was to take my rage out on Matt.

I got my luck. The first to jump by was a green-eyed, blonde-haired Athena boy who I recognized in seconds. I jumped from the brush and pulled Riptide out on him. "Jackson!" he yelled. Our swords met in the air, sparks jumping from the clashing blades. The heat in the air started to boil, and I could almost feel the fire burning.

I felt the forest around me was burning, the flames jumping at my face. Once again, an echoing clatter broke into the natural essence of the forest. "I know what you said to her." I growled, our faces getting closer, "I know what you did to her." With as much force as I could, I pushed the sword into him, and Matt fell back, soon regaining his balance upon his feet.

"You took Jane from me. As soon as she heard what I said, she left." With that tone, he threw himself against me, shouldering me in the chest. But that felt like nothing. I easily regained my balance and pulled myself together. I threw my sword against him, and with a swipe Matt easily smashed Riptide away. With another slash, Riptide was thrown from my hands.

I was defenseless, and I did the only thing I could have. A really cool stunt.

I jumped down and pushed out my legs, tripping Matt. Unprepared, Matt fell backwards and his sword skittered along the ground out of his hands. I grabbed it quickly and stood over him, throwing my foot to his chest and his sword to his throat.

I could feel the pounding of his heart from under my foot. I pulled the sword up for a final blow until, "STOP PERCY!" I turned.

With the distraction, Matt was able to grab the tip of his sword and throw me onto my back. I reached out and grabbed Riptide as Matt now stood over me. I kicked him between his legs and he pulled from me. I jumped to the air and he pulled himself together.

I felt some hands grab my arms and pull me back, and I fought against them. I saw a girl from the Ares cabin grab the back of Matt's armor and pull him away from me as well. Chiron jumped in between us, "What is going on here?" he demanded. "The game ended half an hour ago, and we searched for you two to find you dueling to the death? Mr. Jackson, Mr. Silvestre, come to the Big House immediately!"

I turned around to who was holding me, and saw Clarisse give me a stern look. "I expect this with Ares children. But not you Jackson," she growled me, pushing me after Chiron. I saw a disappointed look from Jane, who was standing near Grover. I closed Riptide, pulling my helmet from my head and throwing it to the ground in frustration.

Something hit me, hard in the gut. Grover and Jane seemed to be getting along so well now, it was as though Jane was replacing Annabeth. I tried to take the feeling away, I didn't want Annabeth to go away forever.

Slowly but surely, we arrived at the Big House. I looked back, and there was a hard bruise on the side of Matt's face, and Clarisse was following us, as though afraid we would try to run away. I exchanged glances with Rachel, who was cradling my book and watching us. She knew what had just happened, and her gaze turned back to the book, and she opened it, reading it again.

Chiron turned to us, "What were you two doing?" he held up a hand as both of our mouths opened to explain, "One at a time. Jackson, you first." It was weird having Chiron call me 'Jackson' instead of 'Percy'.

"Well, Jane told me Matt was the one who caused Annabeth to leave. He hit her, he yelled at her. I needed revenge for that," my fist clenched, and I wanted to turn and punch the guy in the mouth right now, "I totally forgot about the game and just had to do something to get back at him."

Chiron turned to Matt, "Silvestre? Your turn."

"Yeah, I told Annabeth to leave. She was no better to me than I was ever to her. The two of us never got along, she laughed at me. So I yelled at her and told her to go away. So what? Wanna know how Jackson repaid me? By having my own girlfriend backstab me and steal my girlfriend."

"She said she broke up with you!"

"Yeah, right."

"But Annabeth would never laugh at you."

"Speak for ─"

"Stop!" We turned to Chiron, who was now on his feet. He paced the room, "You two will go outside. No coats. I want you to freeze until I think of a reasonable punishment."

Tension!

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-Dj