I don't own the song, it belongs to Evanescence and yes it is one of my favorites=)
Skylar's POV
It was the next morning but no one wanted to speak. It was like everything stopped because of Mikayla's death. Chiron said that there would be a ceremony tonight for her instead of campfire. He asked me to say a few words but I couldn't help but cry. My best friend, the one I confided almost everything in, was dead. Connor came and led me away, but kept quiet. He led me into the Hermes cabin and sat on his bed. I moved into his lap and buried my sobs into his chest.
"She was my best friend…she didn't deserve to die…she was only 17 years old!" I whimpered. Connor wrapped his arms around me and rubbed my back, trying to comfort me. I felt tears falling on top of me, Connor was also crying, but not as hard as I was. We sat together like that throughout the day, not moving a single muscle. My eyes slowly drooped until I was completely asleep.
Connor's POV
Sky fell asleep so I did the right thing and carried her to the Ares cabin. Even the Ares kids were broken up about Mikayla since their cabin was dead silent. I set her down on her bed and glanced at Clarisse. She sat on her bed staring out the window, not even acknowledging my presence in her cabin. I walked out of the cabin, needing something to get me out of this depressive state. I looked out to the beach and saw Travis sitting alone in the sand. I walked over and nudged his shoulder. He looked up at me, his eyes red from crying. My heart ached, seeing my own brother so broken was horrible.
"Hey Connor…" he muttered as he looked back at the water.
"C'mon, we both need a pick me up prank" I said, trying to get his attention.
"Why bother? The whole camp is in mourning" he mumbled.
"I know you're upset about her, but you can't just sit there and act like this isn't happening" I said as I crossed my arms across my chest. He shook his head and looked up at me, almost glaring.
"You just don't get it Connor. She was the one girl I wanted to spend my life with! We made a plan for the future! Everything was perfect…and now everything has fallen apart" he snarled, but then softened at the end. I sighed and rested my hand on his shoulder.
"Travis, I get it. But you can't push others away" I replied sounding kinda like an Athena kid.
"I know…but it's hard…Chiron expects me to talk at the service…I just know if I can do it…" he muttered in defeat.
"Just think of it as your final goodbye to her. Make it special and memorable" I suggested. Travis looked up at me, a slight smile on his face.
"Thanks Connor. I really needed that"
"What are real brothers for?" I replied before lightly punching his arm.
Travis's POV
I tightly gripped my guitar as I stepped to the center of the amphitheater. The Aphrodite girls had cleaned up Mikayla and wrapped her in the burial shroud the Athena kids made for her. The silver of the shroud seemed to make her look like she was only sleeping. I set my guitar near the fired and waited for the ceremony to begin. Campers filled the theater and Chiron wheeled into center stage. Chiron cleared his throat, drawing everyone attention.
"It is a shame that we must gather here today. But sadly the Fates had decided that Mikayla Elizabeth Ledger, daughter of Artemis, was the one to die to fulfill the prophecy. She bravely accepted the quest, even though she knew her life was on the line. And now her closest friends will do the final honors" Chiron spoke in an upset voice. Some campers had tears in their eyes. From the distance I could see Skylar burying her sobs into Connor's chest. Connor nodded to me, knowing that my time to step up was now.
"Mikayla Ledger…was one of the most daring girls I have ever known. She would never give up on anything or anyone, even if it might have been a lost cause. She was never afraid of anything…not even facing her mother to bring her back from Olympus. She was kind and would never pick on anyone…as if she was wired to be only nice to others. She was loving…and affectionate…" I said, only to get lost in my thoughts of her. I shook my head and picked up my guitar. "Which is why as I final goodbye…I prepared this…"I said as I started playing the beginning chords of the song I chose; it was one of Mikayla's favorites.
I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
Because your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I've held your hand through all of these years
But you still have all of me
You used to captivate me
by your resonating light
But now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I've held your hand through all of these years
But you still have all of me
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me
I've been alone all along
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I've held your hand through all of these years
But you still have all of me
When I finished, all of the Aphrodite girls were wiping make up off their faces. I looked out and saw Skylar getting up and walking down. She stopped and hugged me, knowing this was hard for me as it was for her. She let go and took of the bracelets that she had been wearing since Mikayla's 17th birthday. She kneeled and clamped them onto Mikayla's wrist's just under where the silver cuffs Mikayla already had on.
"I can't thank you enough for saving me that night…" she murmured under her breath. Skylar rose and looked at me. I walked to the other side of Mikayla's body and picked her up. Skylar supported the other side of Mikayla and we slowly marched to the flames. Effortlessly we lowered Mikayla into the fire and dodged getting caught in the flames. The fire caught onto the shroud and began to burn, sending sparks into the night sky.
"Goodbye Moony…I'll always love you" I murmured before turning and walking out of the amphitheater, grabbing my guitar as I left.
Callie's POV
After the service I found myself walking to the dock, tears still falling down my cheeks. I never got to apologize to her for all the horrible things I said to her. I never meant anything that I said, it was only to make her angry…and now she'll never know. I sighed and sat down on the dock, staring at the starry night. I heard footsteps falling behind me but I didn't look; I didn't care if anyone saw me like this.
"Callie? Are you alright?" a too familiar voice asked. I turned and watched Nico sit down next to me, the first time I had seen him since I came back from the quest. I shook my head and began crying again. His arms warmly wrapped around me and pulled me into his lap. I shifted and rested my head in the crook of his neck, fearing a little bit better.
"I said so many horrible things to her…and none of it I really meant…now she'll never know…" I whimpered softly. Nico rubbed my back, causing my cries to only be tears slowly sliding down my face. He looked down at me, getting me lost in his big brown eyes. I wanted to close the distance between his, but I knew I couldn't because of Aphrodite.
"It is time to choose…choose wisely…" a woman's voice whispered in my ear. I smiled and my mind cleared.
"Nico…you like me right?" I asked as I wiped my eyes.
"Well yeah I like you. You're my best friend" he replied, not getting at what I meant.
"I meant more than that…" I stated, locking my eyes with his. Even in the dark I could see his cheeks slowly turning crimson.
"Um…yeah I do…I like you…a lot Callie" he whispered. I smiled and moved closer to his ear.
"Good…because I like you a lot too Nico" I whispered and moved back to face him. He closed the distance between us with a delicate kiss. I kissed back and slid my arms around his neck, loving everything minute of this. He pulled away and smiled at me.
"So are we a couple now?" he asked sweetly.
"If that's what you want then sure" I replied with a smile.
"Hmm…I dunno. I might need another kiss to help me figure it out" he replied, his smile turning into a smirk.
"Well I guess I'll help you straighten out what you feel" I replied before kissing him again. And damn did it feel good kissing him again.
Mikayla's POV
After I was judged I appeared in a field with grass that seemed to be multi-colored. Even though I was in the Under World where it should have temperatures in the thousands, I felt cold as ice. I looked around and didn't see very many people. I stood up and could hear laughter of a lot of people. I followed the sound and found a lot of houses, changing time periods with each section. A girl olive skin and dark brown hair tied in a braid jogged up to me.
"Hi! You must be new around here. I'm Bianca Di Angelo" she said as she stuck out her hand. She had the same exact dark brown eyes as Nico.
"Mikayla Ledger, daughter of Artemis" I replied as I shook her hand.
"So you're related to Michael Ledger?" she asked as she let go.
"Who is that?" I asked curiously. My adoptive Mom and Artemis never mentioned anyone else in my family tree, let alone my father.
"C'mon, I bet he would love to meet you" she said before running down the hill we were on. I shrugged and followed her, a breeze tugging at the hole in my shirt from the chimera bite. Bianca passed old European cottages and older cabins, people giving us weird looks as we passed. After about five minutes she stopped at a modern two story house. Bianca rang the doorbell and waited. A man about the age of 30 walked out. He had dark brown hair that was straightened and covered his grey eyes.
"Bianca, why is Lady Artemis in the Under World?" he asked in a curious voice. I blushed, not realizing how much I looked like Mom.
"I'm not Lady Artemis…I'm her daughter, Mikayla" I replied. His face completely dropped and he hugged me tightly. I stood there in his embrace feeling completely confused.
"Oh my gods…I thought that the gods would have you killed too" he murmured. He let go and looked at me, a smile on his face.
"What do you mean?"
"Mikayla Elizabeth Ledger, I am your father"