Hi everybody I'm back! And hopefully for a long time because my marching season ended this week. So sad it seems like it was just yesterday when band camp started. My season ended amazing with a showcase of bands with all the marching bands in my district. And the whole night gave me a burst of inspiration. All I needed was to be on the same field with 400 or more band geeks!

Anyway, the last chapter didn't get much feedback and I don't blame anybody, I wasn't really confident with the last chapter as much as I thought. So I hope this chapter will be more successful than the last.

Lovebug109: sorry it took me a couple of chapters to reply but I keep forgetting any way...I thought I misinterpreted you haha so sorry but hey another band geek!

Disclaimer: the saddest part of this chapter is that I don't own PJO.

Enjoy!

Annabeth's POV:

Here we were in the band room. The whole band was in here, trying to hide from the embarrassment of Friday's game. I, for one, found this whole thing to be ridiculous. From what I learned and heard from this band is that they were fearless and full of guts to take down any challenge. Yet here are all of the 150 and more of the band members, shriveled up and weak, stacked up inside a claustrophobic room with more than half an hour left before first period.

I can't take this. I wondered why I was here in the first place. I guess coming here was a habit that I've had for the past four years. But being here on this very day was a mistake. I needed to leave, get out of the band, but I couldn't. The only exit from this Tartarus was blocked by the upperclassmen, also known as section leaders. Although I am classified as one, I haven't really counted myself as part of them or part of this band, since we don't exactly get along together.

With the guard crying on each other's shoulders, I carefully sneaked away from them. Before leaving the group, Juniper spotted me. Her chlorophyll eyes were gleaming with sadness and innocence. I've grown attached to this shy sophomore during the past few weeks and it broke me seeing her like this. But I needed to worry about myself for once.

Passing all the other bandos, I finally made it to the exit and faced the rest of my fellow leaders. Thalia was at the very center of the group. I looked around and saw Jackson standing in front the door. My expression was hard and clear: move out of the way. They didn't hesitate for they knew what I was capable of. Jackson, however, didn't move a muscle. He looked straight to my stormy grey eyes and I looked up to his sea green eyes. There were so many countless times when we were in this position, but I pushed them out of my mind. Once again, the butterflies didn't fail to flutter in my stomach.

Jackson broke the stare down and stepped aside for me to pass. But I knew this was far from over. I walked out of the building, and behold: Jackson was trailing behind.

"Go away," I told him.

"No," he said demandingly. His tone had an edge that I couldn't describe.

I sighed and turned around. "Why can't you leave me alone?"

He just chuckled, "Because I wanted to get some fresh air too," he said innocently.

"And you can't get it someplace else?"

"No, this spot has a nice view," Jackson said to me as he sat down on a table bench. He leaned against the table and put his hands behind his head. My mind ran over a second out how perfect he looked at the moment, but just for a second.

I started to leave but he grabbed my wrist, pulling me back to him.

"Come sit down and relax with me."

Thankfully the campus was empty because it was still early for people to come. It's just the band being geeks in coming to school early.

"With you?" I cocked my eyebrow.

"Yes, with me. What's so wrong with that?" he asked innocently again with a playful grin. I like it when he acts like this, like a kid.

"Fine," I grumbled sitting down cautiously next to him at the edge of the seat, making sure to keep my distance. However the moment I sat down, he moved closer to me, closing the gap. I looked at him confused but he just stared back and smiled.

"So," I said, hoping he would explain.

"So…" He is such a seaweed brain.

I couldn't take it, "Okay what do you want?"

"A fellow bando can't have a decent conversation with another bando?" Jackson teased.

"Not when the bando is a drummer talking to his rival guard captain," I explained him, feeling even more confused.

"Come on Chase."

"Okay, okay," I sighed. "But I'm serious, cut to the chase."

"Fine," Jackson sighed, giving up. "You need to come back and help with the other officers and leaders to try to solve this mess."

"Why should I? You guys clearly have enough people to solve this mess." I stated.

"Because we need a person who is unbiased and somebody new but also have leadership quality." The whole time he was looking in my eyes.

"Yeah, but it's not me," I said refusing to me eye contact with him.

"Hey, we need you more than you think right now," Jackson said with such deep meaning. All I want is to believe him. "I need you right now."

My sight got foggy after hearing it, but I refused to let the tears fall. I shook my head resolutely.

"Right from the first day, all I've ever received is crap from the band, especially you, so don't go telling me right now that you need me because that's just plain bull," my voice cracked at the end.

Jackson looked at me hurt but he knew that it was true. He couldn't deny that.

"Yes, I'm not going to lie and say that it didn't happen, but I am telling you the truth right now that we can't do this without our guard captain." Jackson grabbed both of my shoulders.

"Fine I'll go back, not for the band but for my guard," I said, hesitating then smiling slightly.

"Good," he smiled back.

At that moment we had another connection. But I had a feeling this had a deeper meaning than the others.

Jackson stood up and held out his hand for me to grab. I graciously took it. His hand felt nice but I released his grip the second I stood up. There was no need for me to torture myself by holding his hand.

We stood there in the awkward silence until I gestured for us to return back to the band room.

Before we made it through the locker room, we heard shouts.

"You don't know what you are talking about Travis," said Thalia, trying to keep calm.

"What are you going to do, drum major? If I could point fingers about the disaster on Friday, it's to our very own major and the guard for screwing everything up." Travis was pointing his fingers at everybody. I stiffened and I could feel Jackson shaking his head beside me

"Hey! What happened on Friday was everybody's fault not just a single person!" Thalia spoke in her drum major voice.

"But isn't it your responsibility to handle any situation? Fine, if I can't blame you then I'll blame the guard." Travis turned his beady eyes at the terrified guard, "You don't have your captain defending you this time."

I looked up at Jackson and he looked down at me. We both knew we had to step in before things get ugly. I walked in first heading straight toward the guard, who were relieved to see me.

"Well, Travis, I do believe that I'm here right now. Now, you were saying …?" I challenged Travis, staring him down. Everyone else stayed silent, waiting for him to respond. He scowled but said nothing.

Travis, Thalia, and the rest of the section leaders were in the middle of the room and in the middle of the fight. It was obvious who were on whose side. The drum line and the front side stood behind Travis while the section leaders and majority of the upperclassmen defended their drum major. I looked at the guard, reassuring them briefly before moving and standing behind Thalia.

Out of everybody, only Jackson was left undecided. I looked at him skeptically. His face was distraught, like he was stuck between two crossroads. I thought his choice was clear. Shouldn't he side with Travis, his right hand man?

I noticed everyone's anticipation for Jackson's choice. Grover's eyes were looking at Jackson, full of want and hope. In fact all of them, Grover, Thalia, and Nico contained the same expression. There was something that I don't know about; something that all four of them hid from me. And not knowing irritates the hell out of me.

Jackson, out of nowhere, exhales, "Travis, apologize to your drum major and you owe me two hundred pushups for it."

That surprised me. It surprised everybody, especially Travis and his egotistic attitude. "Perce, you're not serious right?"

"I am serious now start your push ups," Jackson said harshly. "And this goes to all of you," he faced his section, "Disrespecting any leader calls for punishment, and that includes disrespecting the guard captain."

I was shocked. Jackson actually defended me.

Everybody disbanded, but the rest of us stayed where we were, and Travis grudgingly knelt down to do his pushups. His pride had taken two blows today, one from me and one from his beloved drum captain.

"Hey Percy, thanks," Thalia said to Jackson. He just nodded smugly in response and left to his section.

I had so many questions to ask them that I didn't know where to start. Ultimately Thalia, Nico, Grover disbanded too. Travis continued on with his push ups but I ignored him. All of this happened way to fast. There was only ten minutes left until first period and Mr. D was nowhere to be found. In the end, I left for class, leaving everything that happened a few seconds ago to be handled during fourth period.

Percy's POV:

Throughout the whole morning, minus the fight in the band room, I've received teases, threats, and disappointment. I hated every single one of them. I was the captain of our award winning drum line for gods' sake. The least I want is bull crap coming from ignorant jackasses.

I didn't reply back, though maybe I should've, but I was so pissed about what happened this morning that I didn't bother. Now here I was, walking to fourth period, dreading to see everybody again.

Oddly, I didn't see any bando running frantically with their instruments hanging on their arms to the field. It dawned on me that I could actually be early, for once in four years. But the dream was crushed when I walked inside and saw the whole band sitting on the floor looking up at Mr. D.

Mr. D didn't look so hot: he was beyond pissed. I didn't know what to do, so I sat down where I stood, while the drum line sat on the other side of the room.

"As I was saying before Peter's grand entrance, we need to talk about what happened on Friday's game," Mr. D enunciated each word, looking menacingly at all of us.

I felt the band fidget, nervous for what was to come. I must admit that I was nervous too. It was scary seeing this side of Mr. D, although he was already scary in general.

"I am trying very hard not to go ballistic at you guys, even though it is very tempting," Mr. D exhaled, "Every band has bad first games no matter how good they are, but in my years at this school since I've started, this is the first." I flinched, because how the hell was that supposed to make us feel better?

"It is clear that there are some unfinished issues in this room, especially issues from this morning," Mr. D continued.

"How the hell did he find out?" I muttered to myself, thinking back to the morning's drama.

"What did you say, Peter?" Mr. D stared at me looking more menacing by the second.

I was about to defend myself but somebody beat me to it.

"He didn't say anything Mr. D," the person beside me said. I looked to see Chase sitting not even less than a foot away from me. I can't believe she actually defended me, and that I didn't notice her next to me before now.

Mr. D looked skeptical but eventually believed Chase anyway.

I exhaled a breath that I didn't even know I was holding. After that I didn't dare move a muscle, even though I knew I had to thank Chase. My fear of Mr. D won over and I sat still, trying to listen to Mr. D.

"I seriously do not know what to do with this band anymore. I tried my best but there is only so much I can do." Mr. D turned to Chase when he said it, "Now it is all of your guys' turn to do the dirty work because we are too far into the season to change anything now, and it will really suck if I have to cancel this season because of it," Mr. D explained. I'm pretty sure I heard everybody gasp in sheer horror. "Now start talking and if you guys need me I'll be in my office." Mr. D left, not looking back to see the tension in the room.

The moment Mr. D closed the door, comments erupted. Only Chase, the leaders, and I were still. I saw Thalia converting to her "drum major mode". However, seeing her like that again just brought back memories of what I found out on Friday before the game. It was sickening and I was stuck, not knowing what to do. She was still my drum major but she would always be my cousin first.

Without warning, Thalia called us to attention. "Okay all of you heard Mr. D and he's right. As drum major I have to make this band cooperative, make it work. Now there are a lot of issues, especially this morning, but all I am asking for is participation. And I am telling you now that I will be so pissed off if this season is canceled."

The speech left everybody motionless. Thalia looked around to the leaders hoping for some back up but nobody stood up.

I felt guilty because as the next leader in line, I knew I had to stand up. So I did and I saw Chase standing up too. We gazed at each other and walked to Thalia. This was weird for me: if it was a couple of months ago, I would've cared less for this type of stuff and hid with the drum line. And if I knew my section well, I'm pretty sure they are appalled at me right now.

"Guys, listen to your drum major because she's right. And I have to admit that it is also our fault for this mess," I said, pointing my thumb at Annabeth and myself. The drum line looked as if they couldn't hear what I just said ,and I don't blame them because I couldn't even believe what I just said either.

"If you guys need proof of a truce then we'll do it. Jackson and I will have a truce right here!" Chase interfered. My eyes widened. I didn't want things to go that far. "Right Jackson?" she said to me. Her grey eyes said it all: if I don't cooperate I won't live.

"Right, Annabeth," I said through my teeth trying to hold a smile. I realized that this was the first time I said her name. She realized it too; in fact, I think everybody did. "Right, Percy" Chase smiled and I returned it.

She raised her hand for me to shake but there was something I had to do first:

I called the drum line over so they would have a closer witness. They were grumbling, especially the Stolls, but I didn't care. I had to set the example, since I was the drum captain.

Chase got the idea and called her guard too. Thalia went to stand in the middle and the rest of the band sat on the floor in front.

I shook Chase's hand. At that moment I felt a ton of pressure off of my shoulder. We smiled at each other, living in the moment. Applause roared in the room, but I knew that the majority of the drum line hated every second of it, but I didn't care about any of it because Annabeth's hand felt so smooth and right. It was too irresistible for me to give up. When she released her grip, I pulled her back and brought her to my arms. Annabeth was still at first but then relaxed as I put my arms around her waist. This was something I wasn't able to do before the truce. I tried to calm my racing heart and look casual, and I wished I could see Annabeth's expression.

I heard wolf whistles amongst the guys, and the girls seemed like they were close to fainting. I saw Thalia smiling genuinely at us, with Grover and Nico. Watching them released all of the feelings that had been buried inside of me for the past four years.

I miss them, I really do.

the End!...

Of chapter 14 that is. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.

Please review! And Happy Thanksgiving everybody!