A/N: Whenever I type "Bunker Nine" I really want to type in "Deep Space Nine" it's happened a few times, but I caught it before I uploaded.

Chapter 21- Making Reparations

Percy's POV

"My life is gone." Pheobe said, "The Keres will come back, and they'll jerk me out of this, this, whatever it is I'm in. This hallucination, this vision. It'll end, and I'll be back in hell."

"This, hallucination, as you call it, will last the rest of your life. I don't want you to spend the rest of it waiting to die. What would it take to convince you this is real?" I asked.

"Nothing. Why would I be convinced a dream is reality?"

"Whenever anyone dreams, they think the dream is a reality. When they realize it's a dream, they wake up. The "lucid dreamers" well, I don't know what they do. But you don't know how to lucid dream. If you did, Thalia would've told me."

"She would." Pheobe said drowsily, "She never liked what we were doing. She had to justify it, that it was punishment for leaving her alone. . ."

With that, Pheobe drifted off to sleep again. In those days, she had gone through more physical, emotional, and mental stress than I could ever believe. Frankly, it was amazing she could even form thoughts, was even sane.

I walked up to the roof, where I could see everywhere around the house, which was a few miles outside Elysium, but less then a mile away from the torture complex. There was no activity around the complex, no lights, no movement.

I shook my head, remembering all the Greek Fire jars I dropped while running through it, and took out the detenator, looking at it. It was a simple button, non-descripit. Why haven't I leveled the building yet? Why hadn't I pressed the button? Collapsed the work of whichever god wanted this to be made?

There was nothing around my house, just as I wanted. A completely unknown building, a safe haven for me and mine.

After I determined that we- Pheobe and I- were safe from the outside, I went back to my bed.

Pheobe was still there, sleeping. She still had her own ripped and torn clothing on. I didn't dare change her into other cloths, so the best I could do was cover her in a sheet, and she kept that sheet.

As I watched, she turned over then back. She tossed and turned, then woke up, sweating.

"Get away from me!" she screamed, jerking up in bed, then gasping, and lying down.

"No one's here except for us, Pheobe." I said, "Are you hungry?"

She nodded, so I summoned a bowl of tomato soup.

"Here." I said, laying it on her chest. Pheobe picked up the spoun with shaking hands, then dropped it. When she tried to pick it up again, Pheobe ended up knocking it to the floor.

"Let me." I instructed, summoning another spoon.

"Give me that spoon! I'm not an invalid, even if this is a hallucination." Pheobe protested.

"Yes you are. At least, for now. From what I could see in that place, they didn't feed you at all. I don't know how you're alive, but you are. And I know that starving for three days doesn't feel good. Just allow me to, and I'll get you back to your feet."

With that, I lifted the spoonful of soup to her mouth, making her drink it. I kept going until the bowl was empty.

"More?" I asked.

Pheobe nodded, so I summoned a new bowl of soup and fed it to her. I laughed, "Never underestimate the appitite of a Hunter."

"That's enough for now. How do you feel?"

"Better. Much better." Pheobe replied.

"I put some cloths here. Get dressed, and I'll get you a surprise. You'll love it, I guarantee."

"What's the surprise?"

"I'm not telling. It's a surprise." I walked out, then waited a few minutes, "You decent?"

"Yeah."

I entered the room to see her still lying on the bed, but now with the silvery-blue shirt and black pants.

"What's the surprise?" Pheobe repeated.

"Just sit here." I brought her to my chair, which faced the window showing the complex. "Recognize that place?"

Pheobe's fists clenched, "Yes, I do."

"Then take this." I passed the button to her, "And press it."

Pheobe raised an eyebrow, but pressed it. And gasped as the complex off in the distance exploded with Greek fire. Pheobe actually cheered as the rest of the torture complex collapsed.

"Now do you believe this is a hallucination?" I asked.

"I'll know for sure if Orion doesn't show up. If this was a fantasy. . . ." She laughed, "Orion's corpse would make a fine addition."

"Umm, right." I replied. Her fantasy had come a little to close to the truth.

"Ready to get back to the other Hunters?" I asked.

"Zeus let you re-form the Hunt?" Pheobe asked with astonishment.

"Zeus? That idiot doens't know any of this, and I'm guessing the campers haven't told him yet. And besides, you guys are the only ones who know where we are. I'm also guessing Artemis hadn't told them where." I replied.

"Bunker Nine?" Pheobe asked.

"Thalia recognized it too." I said, "Ready?"

Pheobe nodded. I gently took her arm, and was moderatly surprised when she didn't jerk away. In a flash of water and fire, we re-appeared in the largest commons room in Bunker Nine. As I expected, a few of the Hunters were talking there, and turned to us.

"We're back." I said. The Hunters all shot glares at Pheobe, but smiled at me. Two surprises there, I guess.

"Where's Thalia?" I asked.

"She's in one of the rooms. So are most of the other Hunters." one of them, Sylvia, said.

"I'm guess you don't want me to leave you to the tender mercies of this group?" I questioned Pheobe. She shook her head, so we walked away and headed towards the bedroom wing of the Bunker.

Eventually, we arrived there. The first door after Saracen's, Arin's, Gwen's, and my own war Thalia's.

"Thalia? You in there?" I knocked.

Thalia immediately opened the door, but I could see her eyes were bloodshot.

"You're back, Perce." Thalia said, "And you are too."

"May we enter?"

"You can. Not her."

"Thalia, please." I said.

"No."

"Fine. Just wait here." I told Pheobe.

We walked in, seeing that the room was a bit messy in the maybe half-day I was gone. Thalia's laptop was open on the desk, showing a screen saver of Thalia, Nico, and I eating burgers together after our adventure retrieving the Sword of Hades.

"What brings you to me?" Thalia asked.

"I have a favor to ask of you, and information I need. Do you know where Artemis is?" I questioned.

"No! I've been trying to contact her all day. It's annoying the Hades out of me." Thalia paced about the room.

"Then the favor: talk to Pheobe. Laugh with her, support her." I said, "She feels even more guilty than you do, and suffered so much more. Some part of her believes this is a fantasy."

"Fine, then."

"Oh, and can you lead me to Orion? I'd imagine Pheobe wants to have a little heart-to-heart with him." I asked.

Thalia chuckled, "Sure. Just follow me."

She walked out, me right behind her. As we walked, I silently motioned for Pheobe to talk to her.

"Where are we going?" Pheobe questioned.

"You ever wonder what happened to the so called "Guardians" Zeus gave us? Hercules has his head blown off, thanks to Percy, and we have Orion." a small smile light up Thalia's face, "And we saved him for you.

"The question is," I spoke up, "Whether you want to kill him with a silver hunting knife or something made of Stygian Iron. The Iron would be more painful, but I have a feeling you'd make it painful either way."

"I'll take the knife. Tried and true against men, if you will." Pheobe replied.

"Sure." I passed her one of my knives. Pheobe started twirling it, a malicious look on her face. We kept walking, past rooms and hallways.

"Wait." I ordered, and turned to a locked room.

Thalia and Pheobe turned, looking at me. It was one of the armories of Bunker Nine, and after I unlocked it, we all walked in.

"See anything you like?" I asked. There were racks of bows, swords, and spears of all sizes, all in good working condition.

Pheobe and Thalia both got bows of their respective sizes, and arrows of the length to match. Thalia also grabbed a spear and shield, while Pheobe got a sword. Lastly, they both took long knives. They weren't hunting knives, but they were close.

"I think I'll still stick with silver." Pheobe said as we walked out and turned the corner.

"Just down here." Thalia directed, turning to a storage room. Inside were a few Hunters, who were kicking Orion around. He was bloody, and I could see a somewhat bigger bloodstain around the crotch area of his pants.

"All yours, Pheobe." I motioned to Orion. Pheobe walked up, then plunged the knife into his heart. Then twisted it, and yanked it out. After, she cut off Orion's head, leaving him much like Hercules.

"Thalia, I need to know if there is anywhere that was really important to Artemis. She would be watching this camp if she wasn't mourning. If she is mourning the loss of the Hunt, she would go somewhere special." I said, "Do you have any idea where?"

"No idea. There's the Temple of Artemis, obviously. She loved the place, but it's a ruin now. I don't know where else. There are some different places Artemis liked, but nowhere she was really attached to." Thalia explained.

"Darn. I guess I just have to look around, then." I had time, at least a little. I doubted that Artemis was being mobbed or tortured.

"Oh, and Pheobe. Do you still blame me for Zoe's death?" I asked.

Pheobe looked torn. "Yes. . . no. . . . I don't know."

"Then why don't we all have a chat together?" I turned to the door, "Come with me."

Pheobe, who looked confused, followed, while Thalia and the others just stood there, talking.

We were alone in a hallway. I lifted my hand and concentrated. Within moments, the ghostly form of Zoe Nightshade took form next us.

"Perseus. How are thou faring?"

"I'm fine, Zoe. I brought you here for Pheobe." I gestured to Pheobe.

"And she has not kill you yet? You have truly changed, Perseus."

"Zoe. . ." Pheobe murmered, "You're here."

"Yes, Pheobe, I am. How is my lady?"

"I don't know. She disappeared." Pheobe replied.

"When?"

"I'll give you the ten second version, Zoe." I said, "I, after the gods decided that I was too dangerous to run free, chose to become the Hunt's Guardian. After a few months, the gods decided to disband the Hunt if they couldn't find me in a week. They couldn't, and were folded into Camp Half-Blood. I don't know where Artemis is, but I will find her soon."

"He puts it far to lightly." Pheobe scoffed, "After we tortured him for a month, that's when he decided he'd had enough, and the gods wanted to disband us immediately. Instead, Percy convinced them to let us hunt him down. We also had to experience his memories from after he left camp to when he joined the Hunt."

"Yes, but you were tortured at the worst place in the Underworld." I replied, looking at Pheobe.

"I was unconcious most of the time. After experiencing both, I'd say what we did was worse." Pheobe argued back. I could tell she was lying, but she was lying for Zoe's benefit, so I let it slide.

"Enough," Zoe's voice cut across ours, "Why did you bring me here, Perseus?"

"Ah, yes. I want you to explain your feelings about your death to Pheobe. It eased my guilt, as I hope it would ease Pheobe's blame towards me." I said.

"Is that why. . ." Zoe trailed off, and Pheobe nodded. "I am glad you would take such lengths to defend my memory. But you do not need to. I chose to die for my lady. Perseus took the burden of the sky to allow my lady to fight. It is not his fault that Atlas was simply to powerful, and my lady too weary. Do not dishonor my memory by blaming those who are blameless. I do not blame Perseus, and neither should you."

Pheobe started weeping. "Pheobe. You did what you thought you had to do. I know Perseus does not blame you for that, and neither do I. You did as you were conditioned to after your time in the Hunt."

"Zoe is right, Pheobe. I do not blame you for anything." I said solemnly.

Pheobe looked up at me, "How couldn't you? After what I've done. . . ."

"You didn't do anything. Look at me, I'm fine! Plus, you even attacked Annabeth. That's some points in my book." I added. "Now, the sooner we can get done here, the sooner I can get the news to Artemis, and she can take control of the Hunt again."

"Then go, and find my lady. You found me, you can find her."

A/N: I apologize in advance for any places that sound like they copy another story, so I will re-iterate what I said in the first chapter: I have probably not read that story. This is all the knowledge of Guardian stories I have: up to Chapter 3 of Everlasting Promises (Starblade176), up to chapter 14 of The Queen's Champion (Anaklusmos14) and all of That Color Silver (Pluto's Daughter 11) Currently, these are the ideas I have planned, for the record (Spolier Alert): Revamped Hunter outfits (modernized), Eventual confrontation with 10 Guardians of the Camps, Percy and Aphrodite planning and Percy/Artemis dance (Aphrodite keeps trying to seduce Percy) and eventually (Major spoiler alert) Percy dying in an epic battle, saving everyone, etc. Funeral scene. Here you go, for the record.