I'm REALLYREALLYREALLYREALLYREALLYREALLYREALLYREALLYRE ALLYREALLYREALLYREALLYREALLYREALLYREALLYREALLYREAL LYREALLY(I could fill the whole page up with my 'REALLY's)

SORRY that I couldn't post for the last few...weeks. I had TONS of stuff to do, and was SUPER busy. But I promise you that my fanfiction will not lose it's drama.

Love you all! R&R!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson and the Olympians OR Heroes of Olympus!

Failures

Percy's POV:

Percy sat at the mess hall table, staring at the holographic images of Camp, pretending he wasn't listening to the chatters and murmurs of the other demigods.

They all stared at him now. Percy sighed.

The only thing that seemed comforting was that his Annabeth was safe. Along with me, he cursed silently.

It should have been him to close the Doors, not Cynthia. He squeezed his eyes shut, gripping Annabeth's hand, trying to erase the terrible recollection of what had happened after the Doors had closed.

After the Doors had closed, the pillars had erupted into dust. The demigods had been nearly killed trying to escape. Gaea had laughed at them...

Even though they had won.

They had won. At a cost.

Part of Percy felt happy that Annabeth was with him, and that they were finally going to be able to get back to their beloved camp. Which was probably in definite danger.

But the other part was terrified that Cynthia was going to...to what?, he wondered. Haunt me? Percy shook his head. No. That was crazy.

"You okay, Percy?"

Annabeth was peering anxiously into his face. Percy smiled to show that he was okay. After a hot shower and a change of clothes, his girlfriend looked as pretty, and bright, as ever. The only sign that she had been through Tartarus was the bandage around her left leg. Her curls were shining with golden light.

Leo was now at the head of the table, gripping a fork, which was stabbing through a sausage. Percy looked up. Leo opened his mouth. "So. Listen up, guys."

Everyone else stopped talking.

Leo took a bite. "Now that the...Doors have been...er," He swallowed. "closed, we're on course to Camp Half-blood."

Everyone nodded. The Romans could be at camp by now. The Athena Parthenos would have to be revealed to really make peace between the two sides.

Percy nodded, thinking about Chiron, and all the campers. Would they be safe? Would they be willing to make peace with the Romans?

Annabeth nudged his side. He turned his face toward hers. "Hey. It'll be okay, Seaweed Brain."

Percy nodded, and brushed her softly on the cheek. "I hope so, Wise Girl."

It had taken only two days to get back to New York. During those two days of friendship, food, and content, the deep, jagged scar in his heart had healed, bit by bit. Though the hole in his heart, the one that only the existence of 'sibling' could fill was still gaping wide open, every other bit of warmth and feeling had almost made up for it.

Now, arm in arm with his girlfriend, looking over the side at the small shape of Long Island, he felt at completely at ease for the first time in months.

"I can't believe we're going home..." Annabeth whispered next to him.

Percy shook his head and breathed in the clear air. "Me too."

Percy had learned to love the sky. Even though it was dangerous for him to travel in any vehicle across it, it was a sight that was definitely unaffordable in Tartarus.

The deep blue of the sea, the clear blue of the sky...

Percy kept watching, his arm around Annabeth, praying that camp Half-blood would be okay.

They were drifting closer to Long Island, he could see the camp...

His heart sank as he saw the familiar orange T-shirts. And the purple ones. He gasped as he realized that the Greeks and Romans were facing off at the ridge of the Half-blood hill.

"Leo! Get us down there. Quick!"

Leo nodded, and started yanking his wee controller and opening up an album. Percy rolled his eyes internally.

But the ship started descending slowly. The other demigods came up to deck to see where they were.

"Get the Athena Parthenos ready!," Annabeth yelled to Jason and Nico. They nodded, and went racing to belowdecks.

Piper looked over the side. "How are we going to convince them not to attack?," she asked helplessly.

Percy shook his head. "The statue will help us. Like the Prophecy said." But he couldn't help feeling a twinge of doubt as he looked down and saw Octavian's scrawny shape standing next to Reyna.

The campers kept fighting, right until they were actually under the threat of being squashed to death by the Argo II.

As the trireme's shadow fell over the battlefield, the fighting ceased, and everyone stared in awe at the bronze-plated ship.

Percy was-unfortunately-at the very front of the ship, and very exhibited. He swallowed. He couldn't duck now.

Annabeth's voice drifted softly into his ear. "We have to get down there and talk to them. Buy time, while Jason and Nico get the statue ready."

Percy nodded, and, before he knew it, was climbing down the ladder after Annabeth.

He jumped the last few steps, landing lightly on his feet. Annabeth smiled at him. This would work.

Together they made their way through to the middle of the clearing, which wasn't a hard thing. Greeks and Romans alike suddenly parted from them, as if tainted. As if cursed. But we are, he thought. We've been to Tartarus and back.

They reached the break between the Greeks and Romans. Reyna and Octavian was off on one side, and Chiron and Clarisse were off to another. Octavian was glaring. Clarisse was glaring harder.

Reyna spoke, showing only a hint of surprise, which glimmered in her obsidian eyes. "So you have come."

Percy didn't really know what to say. "Yer. I mean, yeah. We've come."

Annabeth stepped forwards, to his relief. She stood eye-to-eye with Reyna. A girl with dark curls and a queenlike regal face. Another girl with golden curls and a princesslike warrior face. It was amazing how they both looked alike, despite their differences in how they lived.

Annabeth spoke, loud enough for everyone in the clearing to hear. "We've brought the Athena Parthenos. We've stopped Gaea. We've closed the Doors of Death."

Reyna nodded. "And what are you trying to say."

"The Prophecy says that the Athena Parthenos can seal the hatred between Greeks and Romans. Bond them. Unite them. And that is what the Greeks are willing to do."

Murmurs of support came from the Greek side. Percy felt a rush of pride for Annabeth. His Annabeth.

Reyna nodded. "So it does." She bowed her head. "Octavian," she summoned. "Burn an offering as a signal to the gods that the war won't happen, and that we are united."

Octavian sputtered. "But-but-we can't just give UP! I—we-"

Reyna silenced him with a glare. "Do it or the Greek Prophets will."

Percy saw out of the corner of his eye, Rachel Elizabeth Dare staring hard at Octavian, ready to do her part if called.

Octavian, murmuring something indistinctive, started a sacrificial flame, and started to chant. As he chanted, Percy felt a shadow fall over the valley, and was alarmed for a moment that some demon was starting to attack them. But when he turned around, he saw the magnificent Athena Parthenos, it's gold and marble reflecting off sunlight in a dazzling display of white and gold. It was so bright it was hard to look at.

So he looked at Annabeth instead. She was turning to Reyna, shaking hands. Slowly, Greeks and Romans alike, started to clap. Percy felt triumphant. So there Gaea. In your face!

Okay, so this chapter's ending might have been a little too flower. Don't worry-it won't last. And there'll be more chapters to come. Love you all!