A'N: In my defense, I've already written this about two weeks ago, and every time I go to my grandmothers, I forget.
Chapter XI
"Pass the butter."
"No, the jelly!"
"That's grape!"
"BROWNIES!"
"SOMEONE GRAB THE APPLE JELLY OR THE HONEY!"
"Someone shut up," Rose said annoyed, stomping into the kitchen. Her long red hair was in a loose pony tail, and she looked half asleep.
"Well someone's a little bossy this morning," Leo said.
"Shut it, Dragon Breath, and hand me the Lucky Charms."
Jason shot Percy a look. "Had to push her down."
"Well at least I didn't let her fall off the side of the ship!" Percy shot back.
"Me? Excuse you –"
"How long until we get to Rome?" Frank cut in, trying to avoid another storm in the kitchen over who could kill each other.
"Italy, three hours – Rome, four," Leo answered. He began punching numbers on the keyboard. "Actually, make that 3 hours and 30 minutes."
"We're getting Hazel?" Rose asked, looking up. They actually saw what she looked like now, at six years old. Her red hair was darker and deeper, thicker. It hung down by her waist, tangled. She had freckles across her tiny nose, and her unturned eyebrows – a Hermes trait – made her look up to something. She had pale skin and her blue eyes were like ice. Her dark eyelashes were long and full, giving her elegance, it seemed. She looked really sleepy, but then again, she was previously a three year old going to bed at practically midnight.
Frank nodded. "Yeah, Hazel…" His eyes went into daydream mode.
Hazel smiled at the table across to Bryant, his curly hair falling in his face. Something about him reminded her of something… someone, but she couldn't place it. All she remembered was kind, dark eyes, and a buzz-cut, but she couldn't tell a name.
"How's your memory?" Bryant asked, feeling her head.
She shrugged. "I can't remember much. Just… parts of faces, but not really complete, you know?"
Bryant didn't answer, but he nodded. "Maybe it's for the best… er, Hazel."
Hazel smiled, but she knew he was about to call her Octavia. "I still want to let them know I'm ok, just in case they're looking for me. But… There has to be something I can do to get it fully back. It was those drinks, Bryant! I stopped remembering once I drank them!" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I don't think they want me to remember so I won't leave."
"You're leaving?!" Bryant asked his eyes wide. "B-but you can't!"
Hazel paused, seeing the hurt in his eyes. "We'll see… But I want to get my memory back."
He nodded. "I'll try to help."
She squeezed his hand. She didn't mention the loving eyes, those endearing eyes that seemed to love her and want to protect her. She wanted to find out who those belonged to. She had studied Bryant's eyes, and knew they weren't his green ones. They were dark, but handsome. She pictured like a Romeo on horseback.
"We can go for a walk, if you want," Hazel offered.
Bryant smiled. "I'd like that."
"LAND HO!" Leo yelled.
"Leo, we're over Rome, not a mysterious island," Percy said.
Rose was looking over, amazed. "Look at all of those unknown victims of pick-pocketing…!"
Jason flew around, looking for a place to land a 200 foot long ship. "There's no place unless in the Coliseum."
"Well, to the Coliseum!" Leo said, pointing his Wii remote at it.
"Leo, you can't land in the Coliseum!" Jason said. "Annabeth would kill you if she was here!"
Percy's glare went from Time-to-Kill-Some-Monsters to I'll-Kill-You-In-Your-Sleep.
"Fine," Leo sighed. He yanked the Wii remote up abruptly and the boat froze in the air. "Festus, burn anyone who tries to harm the ship. If a plane or something comes, fly it around. Just keep it around here. I'll call you when we need you."
Festus snorted flames to say OK and looked serious. The boys climbed down the ship on latter and Jason flew down with Rose, because her legs were still too short to get reach the latter rails.
"Where do we –"
"Hazel?" Frank gasped. His eyes were about as big as half-dollars. Percy looked where he was and saw a girl who looked exactly like Hazel, holding hands with some guy, laughing and having fun.
It was her. It had to be. She glanced up and them, and she stopped, causing the boy with her to stop. Frank looked heartbroken, looking at that. Hazel tilted her head at them, and it was like that for about five minutes. Frank went over to Hazel and the boy, with the others behind him, unsure of what's going on, when Frank shoved the guy into the side of a building.
"Hazel, who is he?" Frank growled, anger building up inside of him.
"What are you doing?!" Hazel shrieked, stepping in between Bryant and Frank.
"No, what are you doing?!" Frank yelled. "You're gone for 3 days and you've decided to find yourself a new guy?! Am I just not good enough?! First Leo, now whoever the hell he is?! This little girl, Rose – you know, the little baby that was on the ship? – yeah, she's going to die if we don't get you, Piper, and Annabeth to Greece by the time she's fifteen!" He pulled Rose up beside him. "She ages three years at midnight! But obviously you're more worried about your stupid boyfriend that you don't care!"
Frank kicked the guy in the ribs a little harder than he meant, sending him slamming into the wall again, and stormed away. Hazel stood there, in shock.
"He…" she managed.
"Your boyfriend and best friend, yeah," Percy said, his lips pressed together. "What're you doing, Hazel?" His voice sounded disappointed. "He was worried and… Never mind, forget it. Come on, Rose."
Jason and Leo had already walked back to the ship, Leo whistling loudly. Rose, still mad for earlier which was slowly dwindling, looked up at Percy. "Am I going to die?"
Percy picked her up. "No, Rose," he shot a glance at Hazel. "We'll find something."
They began to walk away, when Hazel called, "Wait!"
Percy turned. "What?"
Hazel ran towards him. "I don't know who any of you are, but… I don't want her to die. You gotta help me. I lost my memory after I drank some punch the other night, and Bryant was helping me. Nothing really happened."
Percy sighed. "We'll all talk on the boat. Let's go."
