Black Feathers

by Iwovepizza

The Golden Swords are an association that is known for trapping angels and taking their wings. Jason Grace is a part of this organization, but only so he can pay off his debts with the profit he makes by selling the wings on the black market. When he meets an angel named Perseus with huge black wings that will fetch a high price, what will happen if he befriends him?

21. The Angels Sing

(A/N) HI THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER OF BLACK FEATHERS OH MY GOD EVEN IN THE EDITING EXPERIENCE IT HAS BEEN ONE WILD RIDE AFTER ANOTHER THANK YOU FOR READING AND REVIEWING

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN PJO AT ALL

Could you review for the last chapter? Pretty please?

-Ω-

Piper McLean's Log

One day after the rescue.

After we used the hidden portal in Lilith's palace to get out of Hell, we all sort of expected that the earthly air would make Jason perk up a little, but we shouldn't've gotten our hopes up. Annabeth told me to keep this log so we could track his progress, and right now I am saying that we will need a miracle to get back the Jason that we once knew. Asmodeus really beat him into the ground. He won't talk. He won't even look at me. I feed him by hand because he's too weak to feed himself, and he bleeds when he goes to the bathroom. He won't let me touch him, and at least he's making use of his newfound free will, but other than that he is merely a shell with a soul caged inside of it.

Several times he has gestured that he wants a gun to shoot himself. A rope to hang himself. I won't let that happen, though, but it's difficult to see the man of your dreams begging for death. He needs to get better first, and then if he truly thinks that the world is too rotten to live in, I will, grudgingly, allow him to take his own life. It's the little steps, though, and as I sit next to Jason writing this he is screaming out in his sleep. I can't wake him in case he becomes more freaked out by the contact. Until next time.

Piper McLean's Log

Five days after the rescue

Jason has become coherent enough to start refusing the food I give him. He's sitting up by himself, even taking in his surroundings a little when he thinks I'm not paying attention, but he's like a Weeping Angel from Doctor Who. He only moves when you don't look at him. When you do look at him and he notices you looking at him, he completely shuts down. Refuses to make eye contact and turns towards the wall. It's like he's afraid of us, is terrified that if he dares to look us in the eye we'll beat him within an inch of his life. I don't doubt that Asmodeus did something like that to him. He dutifully makes sure that I know that he does not want to eat by denying me when I try to feed him by hand, and whenever I set the plate down in front of him to see if he's more comfortable feeding himself, he just stares at it dejectedly. Once, I tried to see if he'd eat if I left, but I returned to find the contents of that day's breakfast scattered across the room and the plate in pieces on the floor. Jason didn't answer when I asked him what happened, but he most certainly didn't eat anything before he threw the plate. He's so broken I don't know what to do. More updates to come.

Piper McLean's Log

One week after the rescue

I've tried everything. From bringing in other people to visit to completely leaving him to his own devices. Nothing is working. He grudgingly allowed me to feed him when I held up an NG tube and gave him an ultimatum, but even then he choked down the food quickly so he could return to doing his favorite hobby other than sleeping or staring at the wall; pretending I don't exist. I've tried demanding, begging, blackmailing, asking nicely, and everything in between, but he still refuses to talk and look me in the eye. His mind is shutting down despite the fact that his body is slowly healing. As soon as we called, Thalia was over here in the blink of an eye, and despite the fact that she seems a bit incredulous at the story, the sight of Percy and Annabeth doing wing therapy together certainly blew away all of her suspicions that the supernatural don't exist.

Do you know how awful it is to tell a fretting older sister that her younger brother may not make it through the month? I brought Nico in to talk to Jason, but the fallen death angel had to leave, crying silently. Jason's soul must've been a sight; so beaten down and abused that there was no possible way for it to perk back up again. By the end of the sixth day I allowed Thalia to start visiting, with strict orders for her to not touch him, and I can only pray that Jason decides to choose this world and not the next one.

Piper McLean's Log

A week and a half after the rescue

I have just walked in on a miracle. I was about to tell Thalia that her time with Jason was up (and I really did hate forcing her out, but Jason's body language has expressed that he gets incredibly uncomfortable when there's more than one person in the room), when I saw Thalia holding Jason's hand, massaging his knuckles with her thumb and whispering caring things to him, and Jason was sitting up and looking at her. He wasn't screaming bloody murder at the touch, like he'd done for the past several days whenever my hand accidentally brushed over his skin, and I quickly retreated back into the hall as to make sure that that contact was strained for as long as possible. To pass the time I've decided to add things to this log and make a new entry for this event. Doodling in the margins is nice, too…

Piper McLean's Log

Two weeks after the rescue

Jason is recovering with leaps and bounds. He's still a little hesitant about anyone but Thalia touching him, but he will hold my hand if I offer it. He's started looking at people now, though he'll close himself off if anyone new enters the room (Thank god I've slowly introduced all of the gang throughout these past few days so that he's comfortable with everyone), and he's started to read to pass the time. We tried wheeling in a TV but Jason was scared half to death by the noise and the flashing lights, but we're perfectly fine with taking it slow. He still hasn't uttered a word, and I'm beginning to worry that he'll never speak again, but I have to put that behind me and concentrate on all the progress rather than the setbacks.

Piper McLean's Log

Two and a half weeks after the rescue

Jason has just asked me, "What the hell do you do in that notebook of yours that you're always writing stuff down?" Needless to say, I was so startled that he actually started to laugh, and I felt like either laughing with him or crying my eyeballs out with relief. He's become so responsive now, so unlike the husk of a person that he'd been just two weeks ago, and it's started to feel like it was just a terrible, terrible dream. It's incredible to have to take Jason off of the suicide watch list after so many hours wondering if he was going to find some way to off himself when no one was looking. Jason seems surprised at his recovery, too, and is constantly asking people questions about everything.

How's Percy doing?

Did someone stitch his wings back on?

How long was I out?

Are Percy and Annabeth dating?

How is Nico handling without Will? (I was surprised he even remembered that)

Can I see Dakota and Gwen?

Sometimes you wish he's just shut up already, but I'm more than grateful that he's catching up with all the days he missed talking. He's probably going to talk until the end of eternity. Oops I accidentally said that last thing out loud and now he's giving me the stink eye. Perhaps when he's ready I'll let him read this so he can be rejuvenated by his own comeback story. With the ego he has, I won't be surprised. Oops, I "accidentally" said that last thing out loud, too, and now he's threatening me. He still has yet to walk without assistance, but now I can genuinely say that I'm not all that concerned with it.

-Ω-

"Wow," Jason stated, closing the notebook and placing it off to the side. He wrapped his arms around Piper's middle and rested his chin on her shoulder as she read one of the comic books that he'd been so enthralled with over the past few days. "That was intense. You really thought I was going to die?"

"Yup," Piper replied evenly, her eyes never leaving the page, but her lips quirked slightly. "I was devastated."

"Yeah, 'cause you won't be able to see my gorgeous face every day," Jason retorted, and Piper cried out indignantly as he tickled her sides a little. "You know that part of the reason you loved taking care of me is because I'm smoking hot."

"Oh, shut up!" Piper grouched and thwacked him lightly with the rolled up comic book, but not before she placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. "We both know that's not true."

"You sure about that?" he chastised, hugging her tightly. "Because you always tell me I'm good-looking."

"That is true," Piper admitted, and they both lapsed into a comfortable silence.

It was only quiet for about five minutes before Jason stated, "I'm hungry."

"Of course you are."

-Ω-

ONE DAY AFTER THE RESCUE…

Percy woke to brightly lights and hushed murmurs. His mind was foggy, his head pulsing with pain that was only slightly tolerable, and he felt like he'd been hit by a speeding SUV fifty times. That was nothing compared to the steady ache that was assaulting his back, and he groaned and fluttered his wings slightly as he hauled himself into a sitting position. The voices were silent as Percy yawned and stretched, blinking away the black spots that danced in front of his eyes and trying to ease the vertigo that had come along with the movement. Then he stopped dead, his heart leaping in his chest as he moved one wing. Then the other. Annabeth was only barely able to get to him in time as he slumped forwards, sobbing into her shoulder as he wrapped his beloved wings around himself.

Annabeth whispered comforting words into his ears and wrapped her arms around him as he cried tears of joy. Never in his life, not even when he was accepted as Archangel Michael's messenger, had he been so utterly joyful. He felt like he'd left his body and was floating weightlessly in some sort of dream, but the ache of his wounds told him otherwise, and that made him all the more happier. When he was finally able to calm down and sit up by himself, he immediately took to preening himself. He never thought he'd be so glad to perform an action that had once been a chore, and he whistled to himself as he plucked out all of the shed, bent, or damaged feathers that may have gotten lodged in with his healthy feathers. Annabeth sat down on a folding chair that was positioned next to the operating table that Percy was sitting on, and Percy realized, with a jolt, just how worse for wear she looked.

"You okay?" he asked as he managed to wrestle out a particularly crooked and stubborn primary feather, allowing it to spiral to the ground.

"Just tired," she groaned in reply, running a hand down her face. "I didn't sleep." This set Percy on high alert, and his eyebrows climbed up towards his hairline as he regarded the disgruntled-looking blonde with a critical green gaze.

"Annabeth, you just served as Lilith's parlor made for a day, which must've felt like weeks, months even," the messenger angel told her seriously, his lips thinning. "You need to rest up."

"I had to make sure you were alright, Percy," Annabeth insisted, her grey eyes daring Percy to argue. More and more he saw similarities between her and General Athena, and he wasn't sure if it was hot or just all-out terrifying. "I had to stitch your wings back on meticulously, keep you knocked out with enough morphine to kill ten people, and then make sure that your body didn't reject them and all the muscles, bones and tissues were replaced. They should work as good as new, but just in case I'm going to put you through a little therapy course that I literally made up five hours before you woke up."

"Well, I'm fine now. Do us both a favor and get some shut eye," Percy replied gently, a smile touching his lips. "I promise I'll be right here when you wake up." Annabeth's eyes were drooping, and she nodded almost mechanically as she trudged out of the room and towards what Percy could only assume was her quarters in the Golden Swords' facility. Even with messy hair, shadows under her eyes, and wrinkled clothes that were three sizes too big, she was still the most beautiful person he'd ever seen. His heart clenched a bit when he realized what was happening. Nobody could blame him, really; she was beautiful in every way, had a heart of gold, had helped him get back on his feet when he thought that there was really no reason to live at all, and had even faced Lilith for him. Now she'd sewed his wings back on and was suggesting doing therapy with him to help him recover. He was in love. The thought sent a jolt through him and made him want to leap for joy and wallow in despair at the same time. It was great because at least he knew that he was capable of love after all that had happened, but he'd fallen in love with someone who he could never be with.

The angels would know right away and he'd have to be cast out of Heaven for good. No brakes or take-backs. He'd have Annabeth and all his friends, sure, but he'd be miserable; he'd gotten his wings back only to lose them again. When he finally got back to Heaven, he'd probably assume his position as Michael's messenger again and would finally be able to see his parents again. God, he missed them so much. He'd be rid of his addiction to heroin, which had calmed somewhat after the overdose on morphine, and could live his life as he once did. Only, he wouldn't be able to see any one of his friends ever again. Annabeth, Jason, and the rest of the Golden Swords were mortal and were said to be unworthy of divine witness unless it was decreed by the Creator himself. Nico, Piper, and Calypso were fallen and couldn't be interacted with at all, a law that had been in motion since Lucifer had rebelled from Heaven. He'd be alone. He'd have Archangel Michael, but he needed some friends that he didn't have to work for. Perhaps he could get to know the messenger who'd replaced him during his time of absence, but the mere thought of having to leave everyone else behind made his stomach churn.

Just when he thought he was about to break down, Nico slipped into the room with a grin on his face. Percy couldn't help but return it with his own smile.

"God, I missed these," Nico murmured, mostly to himself as he carded his fingers through the downy feathers. To Percy, he asked, "How are you holding up?"

"I'm great, actually," Percy responded, but his face fell. "At least for now, while I'm still able to talk with you guys." Nico frowned, drawing away from Percy's wings so he could sit in the chair that Annabeth had occupied beforehand.

"I suggest you try not to think about that," the fallen death angel replied. "But hey, we saved the world. Maybe Heaven will give us a free pass or something."

"Maybe," Percy replied, but he knew that that probably wasn't going to happen. Nico knew it too, but he was just trying to cheer the messenger up. "How's everyone else?"

"That's what I came in here to tell you," Nico told him, clearly glad to change the subject, "I'll start with the good stuff. Leo and Calypso really hit it off and have a date scheduled for when everyone is back on feet, and Rachel and her fallen angels have decided to join up with the Golden Swords, but instead of hunting angels we're going to help them. Sure, some of them still hold a grudge towards the people who hacked off their wings, but in time they'll forgive. Sadly, all of the wings had been sold beforehand so there weren't any ones to return to their rightful owners."

"That sucks," Percy grunted, his brow furrowing. He didn't think that that was fair, and he hoped that they were in the process of tracking down all those pairs of wings, though he doubted they'd be able to get them back because A) the people they sold them to were criminals B) the criminals paid money for those wings and C) the Golden Swords didn't ask for names for keep records and descriptions of the people they sold their wings to. "How bad were the casualties?"

"They held a service for those who died while you were out cold," Nico answered solemnly, his mouth contorting into a grimace. "And that brings us into the bad stuff. Among the deceased included Silena Beauregard and Travis Stoll. Travis had been the one who fought to protect us as we healed your broken neck. He would've been the only one who was able to get his wings back. We burned them in memoriam." Nico had gone pale, his lips thin and his eyes haunted, and Percy touched his friend's shoulder in a gesture of reassurance.

"Is there any more bad stuff?" he asked, and the look on Nico's face told the messenger that things were about to get much worse.

"Jason," he murmured, and Percy nodded grimly. He knew that Jason would have difficulty recovering from what was inflicted upon him by a Prince of Hell, and it was no surprise that the news about him would be among the 'bad stuff'. "He's not doing too well. Won't look at people. Won't talk. He's too weak to feed himself but he's so scared of people that he doesn't want others doing it for him. Piper is fighting desperately to save him, but…" He trailed doff, shaking his head and wiping at his eyes a little. Percy understood. Nico had probably seen his soul, had probably seen just own mangled and desperate it was to be free, and Percy hoped that whichever path Jason chose, whether it be the polished, smooth stairway to Heaven or the rough dirt path of Earth, he'd be free from suffering. If he was in Jason's position, he certainly knew which path he'd want to take, and the thought of it made Percy want to vomit.

"What about Will? How are you handling it?" he asked, even though he knew that Nico was on the verge of breaking and if there was any question that would make him do so it was this one. Surprisingly, the fallen death angel didn't dissolve into sobs like Percy thought he would, though a few tears did leak from his eyes, all of which he furiously wiped away.

"I'm doing well," his voice cracked, "I just miss him so much." Percy didn't waste time in wrapping his arms around his friend, and only then did Nico finally let himself go. He wept silently into Percy's shoulder, dampening his shirt, but the angel didn't mind. He spoke soothing words into Nico's ears, like how he'd try to find Will's Heaven and talk with him and keep him safe. That calmed the ex-death angel down somewhat, and finally his sobs ebbed and he was able to draw away, rubbing his eyes and the tears that lingered there.

He and Nico sat in silence for the rest of their time together, simply enjoying each other's company and reflecting upon their situation until Nico rose and told Percy that he had to go help Rachel organize everything; the fallen fire angel had taken up the job of running things while everything was in chaos, and he thought a helping hand was needed. Percy watched him go and turned on the TV in the corner of the room, and immediately the voice of the newscaster blared to life:

"We are unsure of how exactly to explain this, perhaps a trick with mirrors and the like, but here you might see a large group of what look like teenagers emerging from a portal in-"

Percy smirked and changed the channel.

-Ω-

Excitement was in the air at the headquarters of the Golden Swords, which had just officially become an organization that helped newly fallen angels take refuge and adjust to their new life on Earth. All of the stands and glass cases in trophy room that had once held wings had been cleared to make way for rows and rows of bunk beds, and everyone who lived there contributed to the organization. After a few months, the depression and loss and all of the other bad stuff shed away and made everyone raring to get their jobs done.

Jason had never felt better, despite his rough patch at the beginning. Sure, not a word about the time he spent in Hell had ever escaped his lips, but that didn't stop him from wiping the slate clean. Now the day had come, and a pang of sorrow sliced through his heart like a white-hot knife. The wind from the top of the Golden Swords' tower was picking up, and the tang of an oncoming storm hung thick in the air. Percy had still insisted on this day, no sooner, no later, and everyone was happy for him. But at the same time everyone knew that they would lose yet another friend, just like how they lost Will and Silena and Travis. Jason smiled as he recounted the time leading up to now, and he was grateful for every moment of it. The headquarters had become like a second home, and even Thalia paid them visits when she was not busy with the Hunters of Artemis, which had now risen to such popularity that they had been on several talk shows and even made a hit single, "Orion", that reached the top charts within just one broadcast on the radio.

The members of the Golden Swords were now no longer financially burdened, due to a very, very generous donation from the Hunters of Artemis. Everyone was well aware that they couldn't just hang around and do nothing forever; they had a life to live. They didn't want to waste away in this God-forsaken city with thugs and Candymen crawling in every shadow; they wanted to be successful like others that lived a good and easy life they could not have.

After a hearty confession, the other members of the Golden Swords soon found out that Dakota was intoxicated all the time due to the fact that he had been testing the quality of his own beer and alcohol. Dakota had learned to brew alcoholic beverages, and made the best wine that anyone had ever tasted; he planned to open his own winery, called the Bacchus Barracks, in LA.

Gwen had taken on quite a fondness for flowers after her experience in Hell, and had planted seeds that she had snuck into her pocket, realizing with delight that the beautiful and deadly plants flourished in Earth soil; she was ready to open a flower shop right next to Dakota's winery, with Grover Underwood as her assistant. In her room were pots full of bluebells that actually chimed when disrupted, hydrangeas that were the color of flames, and black roses that shined brightly in the electric lighting. Everyone was willing for the flowers to be toted out due to the amount of space they took up, but Jason was pretty sure that they would miss them just as much as he would.

Reyna, still unable to get over the thrill of battle, was going to enlist in the army with Clarisse La Rue, and Jason was pretty sure that they would soon climb the ranks until they emerged out on top. Both of them were excellent warriors as well as leaders that kept their calm even under fire, and both would certainly help protect the nation from those who wished to harm it.

Leo had met a gorgeous fallen angel of music named Calypso and had immediately been smitten. They had been dating for weeks now, and it was obvious that they were head-over-heels with one another, though they had hated each other at first, each of their conversations always ending with shouting and flying objects (including knives and a banana-rang.) They also planned on opening a shop, though they weren't very sure where to start yet, even with helpful tips from the other members of the Golden Swords. Everyone in the entire facility shipped them hard, including Jason, and he even went lengths to make Caleo T-shirts as well as Jasper ones; though he abstained from making Solangelo tees, knowing how upset it would make Nico.

Speaking of whom, Nico was still contemplating on his future. Sure, he was a fallen angel; he had all the time in the world, but did he really just want to hang around while the others moved on with their lives? He was leaning towards staying in the current city and keeping up the Golden Swords; rescuing wayward fallen angels and bringing them to safety with the help of some other of his fallen angel buddies. Jason had told him that this would be a very difficult job; it was already pretty hard with the rest of them there, what happened when they were all gone? Nico had dismissed this of course, saying he had his reasons but did not state them. Jason, however, supposed that it had something to do with Will becoming a Watcher; the fallen death angel wanted to make sure that no other would suffer the same fate.

Annabeth and Rachel were both applying for an all-girls college in San Francisco, when Annabeth's parents lived. They certainly had the funds to go well into their Master's degree, and the blonde ex-angel hunter wanted to become an architect, whereas Rachel desired to be an artist. They'd both be outstanding at what they did, for it was what they wanted to do most, besides the fact that they were both freaking geniuses.

Piper would resume her post as a nurse/doctor, but she had been promoted only earlier to work at a children's hospital all the way across country, which she eagerly accepted. Word was getting out about how excellent of a healer Piper was and, despite the fact that she wanted to be an angel of art and beauty, she finally seemed at ease with her position, comfortable in her own skin.

Jason was going with her. All the way to New York, just for his Pipes. They had officially started dating when Jason finally was able to come to his senses, and he felt that they were off to a good start. Of course he would be leaving everyone behind on the west coast, both his friends and his sister, but he would do anything for Piper, and as long as they were together he was sure that he'd never be alone again. Their plane was scheduled to leave that night at nine, and butterflies were flitting around in his stomach. He hoped that his life in the future would be as good as his life for the past few months.

All of them had laughed and joked, their ties so strong that they could never be severed. Annabeth had made a move to try and get into a relationship with Percy, who had politely declined, saying that he did, indeed, love her, but in order to return to Heaven he could not be together with anyone. The blonde girl had taken this well, unsurprisingly, but Jason could still see her sneaking longing glances across the room to Percy's smiling face. Speaking of whom, the black-haired soon-to-be messenger angel had just tottered out of the building and had joined Jason on the roof, his huge black wings catching the weak rays of sunlight that filtered through the clouds, shimmering with a divine light.

Even with all the happiness in the air, a thick cloud of worry and sorrow still had blanketed everything. Percy had not yet crossed the line between Heaven and Earth, and therefore heroin had to be constantly injected into his veins. He had not caved in yet, but nobody knew how long he would last; his eyes were even more sunken than before and his skin was chalky and sallow. Even so, his green eyes were sparkling with happiness and excitement as he gave a little experimental flutter, rising two inches off the ground and nearly getting swept away by the wind. The others joined them on the roof, and it was then that the grief of Percy's departure crashed into Jason like a wave. The messenger angel had become more than a friend over the past year, he had become the brother Jason never had, and it seemed like yesterday when Jason had towered over him and tore off his wings.

Percy could sense his depression and enveloped him in a brotherly hug as a small tear made its way down the blond-haired boy's face. As they drew away Jason could see just how regal he looked silhouetted against the sky, with his chiseled features and bright eyes, along with that irritating yet sickeningly infectious lopsided grin of his. He soon found himself smiling back and the worried lines that crinkled the messenger angel's face smoothed out. Percy put a hand on Jason's shoulder, sighing.

"Sometimes I think back to when we first met, and I almost appreciate you chopping off and selling my wings in the first place." He chuckled at the ex-angel hunter's shocked and bemused expression. "I'm mostly kidding. But still, I wouldn't've been able to go on this entire adventure. I wouldn't've been able to meet you or any of these other wonderful people," he gestured to the gathering crowd behind him, "and most of all I got a taste of freedom that I never thought I'd have. Thanks, Jase."

"No problem," he replied, trying to keep the waver out of his voice. Jason could see the sadness in Percy's eyes as he left to join the group of gathered fallen angels and former angel hunters. Percy exchanged short words with almost everyone, and even kissed Annabeth on the forehead, a brotherly gesture of course, but when the blonde girl took her place beside Jason he could see her blushing furiously. His conversation with Nico lasted quite a bit longer, considering how long they had known each other. They exchanged a bro-hug and a couple of laughs as if they were going to see each other tomorrow. But everyone knew that this was not the case. When and if Percy became an angel again, he would not be able to converse with them anymore, especially with Nico, Piper, or Rachel.

"And don't let me hear that you were cast out of Heaven two hours after you were accepted back in!" Nico jovially called behind him as he fell back, but Jason could clearly see that his smile did not reach his horribly depressed eyes. The wind began to pick up, and it was unanimously unspoken that it was either now or never. Percy stepped to the edge of the building, looking down nervously. He had only been able to fly in the rooms of the headquarters, and then he was only able to beat his wings once or twice before he had to touch down again. Leo was wringing his hands nervously, Reyna was chewing on her lip, Gwen and Dakota were both breathing quickly, and Annabeth looked terrified. Jason was well aware that she put Percy's well-being before hers, and without a single doubt did he suppose that Annabeth would jump off the building after him if the takeoff somehow backfired.

Everyone inhaled sharply as Percy spread his gigantic black wings, which rippled in the howling torrents. The wind pushing against them caused Percy to teeter just slightly on the edge, and the entire crowd gasped. The black-haired boy turned around, smiling as his eyes brimmed with tears. He looked at Jason for just a millisecond and mouthed Thank You before he beat his powerful wings and took off into the clouds, leaving nothing behind but black feathers that spiraled and danced to the ground.

END

-Ω-

Bleeding Feathers is already published and I will go through the process of editing it. Please check it out and don't forget to follow/ favorite and leave a review.