last chapter!

mads-chikistorm- yay! excitement makes me happy to hear :)

ayeraew- haha thank you! tbh, i don't remember rick's interpretation of an empathy link, so i think mine is going to be a little different :)

all about hope- no one could ever review too much :) and yes! i definitely want to focus on percy and annabeth post-tartarus more than rick too- i shared the same frustrations as you

maryam clarus- definitely not ;)

"Um," she said nervously. "Could you say it one more time?"

Coach exhaled impatiently. "An empathy link," he explained. "Is a sort of telepathic connection that I can set up between you and me. We'll be able to have visions of each other's locations, and sort of...sense where the other person is. It's an emotional connection, I guess."

Everyone was on the ship, having already said their goodbyes- that was, besides Rosie, Percy, and Annabeth. Coach was getting ready to head out with Reyna and Nico, but wanted to set up this so-called "empathy link" with Rosie. She wasn't exactly sure what it was, but had disturbing visions of Coach being able to read her thoughts.

"Okay," she said, trying to wrap her head around it. "Um...I mean, yes. I want to know if you guys are okay."

"Good!" Coach said brightly. "I'll set it up- don't need you for that process. One minor thing, though! Try not to die, otherwise I might die."

"Wait, what?"

"Minor flaw in the system," he said, brushing her off. "We'll be fine- I think. And, oh! There might be some side effects, but those should wear off in a few days…"

"Excuse me?"

Rosie suddenly felt the air leave her body, as Coach tightly wrapped his arms around Rosie, lifting her off the ground.

Rosie gasped. "Coach-"

"I really, really appreciate it, Reiger. Thank you."

Was this really the same gym teacher who hated her guts, making her and Leo run extra miles when they were being annoying and wouldn't shut up? Were they...dare she say it...friends?

She felt herself melt as Coach placed her down. She swallowed hard, telling herself not to cry. "Of course, Coach. I'll see you soon, okay?"

He nodded. "And, Rosie?"

"Yeah?"

"Good luck with Valdez."

She blushed, suddenly regretting the empathy link. "Right. Um- thanks, Coach."

"And remember," he said with a final withering glare. "I'll be able to see things- I'm still the chaperone."

She laughed, as the two of them joined the others near the statue.

Rosie walked up to Nico. "So, are we doing this?" She asked hopefully. "Is this enough to warrant a hug?"

"In your dreams, Reiger," he said.

"Fair enough," she said. "How about a high-five?" She clasped her hands together in a begging manner. "Oh, please, Nico, a high-five!"

"Fine," he relented, giving her a hard high-five.

She grinned. "Be careful out there."

He nodded, turning back to the statue, making sure it was secure with ropes.

Reyna stared at Rosie expectantly. She wasn't sure if she should approach her- after all, she didn't think the two girls ever had a conversation with just them.

Rosie approached cautiously.

"I, uh, wish you luck out there," Rosie finally decided to say.

Reyna nodded. "Thank you, Rosie."

"Those two are the best kind of folk you'll ever meet," she said, nodding over to Nico and Coach. "It takes a while for them to grow on you...but once they do…" She smiled. "The greatest friends you could have."

Reyna nodded stiffly, and Rosie wondered if maybe, she shouldn't have said that. "Right."

Rosie, before she could rethink it, gave Reyna a quick hug. The praetor stiffened, like maybe she was thinking about flipping Rosie onto her back. After a second, however, she relaxed, giving Rosie a small pat on her back.

"I'm sorry about Scipio," Rosie whispered. She felt the loss of Karey all over again.

Reyna broke away from the hug, her face unreadable. Maybe she could sense Rosie's own pain. "Thank you, Rosie. I…" She trailed off. "I wanted to thank you for talking to Grant. I talked to Jason and Piper, and...um, I hope you got through to him. I hope one day he realizes he still has a home with us."

"A sanctuary," Rosie blurted out. She couldn't help it- she had been obsessed with the idea of that ever since Jason told her.

Reyna gave her a small smile, signaling that she knew what Rosie meant. "Yes."

"Goodbye, Reyna."

"Goodbye, Rosie. I…I hope we have the chance to talk again."

Reyna got in position, Coach and Nico on both sides of the statue as Reyna stood in the back.

"All right," Nico said, clearing his throat. He gave Rosie, Percy, and Annabeth a final nod. "Grab the ropes, please. Here we go."

The Athena Parthenos collapsed into its own shadow, disappearing. It's three companions were gone with it.

Percy turned to her. "Since when are you and Nico so close?"

She laughed, wedging herself in the middle of Percy and Annabeth, throwing her arms around them. "Let me catch you two up."

Rosie could tell that Percy had missed the sea. He gazed down at it lovingly, as the ship was cruising across the Ionian Sea, towards Greece. She sat on the rail watching her brother, her hair blowing in the breeze.

"I owe you an apology," she said, unable to ignore the hatred she had for how she treated Percy in the past.

Percy's gaze broke away from the sea. "How come?"

She gulped. "I...I was so unfair to you, Percy. The way I treated you-" She broke off. "The thought of you in Tartarus, especially after how nice you had been to me-"

"Hey, hey, hey," Percy admonished, coming closer to her. "What happened, Ro? What's wrong?"

That was her brother- comforting her after he had just been through hell.

"A lot has changed," she admitted, flatly. She gave her brother a shrug. "I found out...Dad's been protecting me this entire time. And I don't even know how it's possible for him to help me, since the gods are so incapacitated...I don't know why. I wish he wouldn't, especially after what he's done to you and…"

"Max," Percy finished, nodding.

Rosie gulped. "The prophecy-"

"Isn't going to hurt us," Percy said, although there was truth lacking in his voice. "I don't know why Dad- I mean, Poseidon, has done what he's done. I haven't even seen him since my sixteenth birthday. But I know we don't need him." Percy's voice carried a tone of finality. "We've got our own family here."

Rosie smiled. "I'm starting to think you're right."

Her brother smiled back at her, but there was a pain in his eyes. She noticed how much thinner Percy was now- he had lost muscle, and generally looked weaker than he was going into Tartarus. He almost looked like he was leaning on the railing for support, fearing that he might fall over.

"I really am glad you're okay," she said, not sure how she could convey it in words. She didn't want to poke her brother too much- hopefully he would open up at some point.

Percy looked over at her, a soft look on his face. "I'm glad to be back, Ro."

And she would be ready whenever he was.

"Hi."

The two of them turned, seeing Leo, standing with his hands in his pockets.

"I, uh, hate to break up the sibling reunion...but, um, could we talk?" Leo asked Rosie.

"She's all yours," Percy said.

For some reason, Leo looked tense around Percy- his jaw was set, and he fixed on Percy with a stony gaze. "Right- thanks, man."

"I'll catch up with you later," Rosie said, Percy giving her a nod as he walked away.

Leo hopped up onto the railing next to her, sitting close next to her.

Rosie ignored the thumping in her heart- she couldn't allow the emotion to ruin this conversation.

"Hey," he said lightly.

"Hey."

"So," he said with a breezy laugh. "How much do you wanna bet Zhang is going to need an entire new wardrobe?"

Rosie didn't laugh. She found herself staring at the ground. "Why do you do that?"

Leo's face faltered, a bit of his bravado gone. "I...what do you mean?"

"Joke like everything's okay," she said. She winced at the harshness of her words. "I mean...I know you're not okay. You cover things up with humor."

"Pot, meet kettle," Leo said flatly, slouching a bit.

"Stop," she chided gently. "Talk to me, Leo- tell me what's wrong."

"Are you kidding?" Leo asked, baffled. "You're the one who has been avoiding me- it's like I don't even know you anymore."

That hurt. Rosie wondered how much of this was easy just to say because they weren't facing one another.

"What do you want from me, Rosie?" Leo asked-not harshly, but genuinely asking.

"I...I want my friend back." Even as she said this, she knew it wasn't true. She wanted more, so much more.

"I'm standing right here," Leo said, sounding unbelievably tired. He sounded defeated- she just wanted to know why.

"You're my best friend," she said, hoping the implication of those words were enough.

"Am I?"

"No," she said, laughing humorlessly. "You're right- you're not my best friend."

Leo said nothing, as Festus creaked into the night sky.

"You are so much more than that," she said, unaware of how clearer she could make it. Would she have to write it in the stars? "You're...you're my home. I like you, Leo. But you're my best friend and I would never want to risk it any other time. But I have to say it. Maybe this is the last thing you want to hear but...I kind of wish something could happen between us."

"Rosie…"

"Don't," she said in a sharp tone.

"Rosie, I-"

"I just want to know what's wrong." Now she was the defeated one. "Seeing like you like this? It hurts me, Leo. Seeing you in any kind of pain-" she broke off. "Hurts me."

"Freckles."

"You don't have to say you love me." She didn't want any pity returned feelings- she was just starting to believe that she deserves someone who was madly in love with her. The type of person that would jump into Tartarus for her. She saw the way her brother looked at Annabeth; she wanted that. "I...you don't have to return any feelings."

Leo finally turned to look at her, glancing with soft eyes. "You're my best friend- of course I love you."

Her heart stopped.

"Like...how I love Beauty Queen or Jason. You guys are my family."

"Right," she gritted out. "Of course."

She was just Rosie- his plucky sidekick. How could she ever think that she was possibly more than that?

"I'm-I'm sorry. I shouldn't...God, I'm a jerk-" Leo truly looked agitated.

"Nope," she cut him off quickly. "Don't. I told you- no feelings have to be returned."

Leo paused, hesitating. "Still best friends?"

She nodded weakly. "Always." She paused, having no clue if this would be possible. "Is there something you need to tell me? Did...did something happen with you and Calypso?"

Leo's face hardened, peering off into the distance.

"No," he said, his tone undetectable. "Not at all."

"Okay."

She wasn't sure if she believed him. In the past, she would've believed him with no uncertainty. But now...she had the vaguest feeling that he was just trying to protect her feelings.

"Okay," she repeated. "So...so I'm going to go."

"Rosie, wait-"

"Nope," she said, cutting him off. "It's fine, Leo. Really. I'm going to go, and you and I...are going to be fine; we can't afford being weird or awkward, alright? We can't mess up the quest. I'm serious."

"Rosie-"

"Say alright, Leo."

Leo's face fell, nodding. "Alright."

"I'm going to walk away...and we're going to celebrate the fact that our friends came home."

Leo nodded one last time. "Okay," he said, his voice tiny.

Rosie hopped off the railing, walking away from Leo. It took everything in her not to look back.

Part of her knew in that walking away, she was saying goodbye to her friendship with Leo as she knew it. She knew that their relationship would forever be altered- tainted. Part of her had just said goodbye to Leo-the boy from Wilderness who befriended her even when everyone else thought she was a freak, her first friend in years. The boy who always knew how to make her laugh, the one who was always there at the end of the day. Her partner in crime. It wasn't just Leo who was going to change- in walking away, she left behind a part of herself with him.

Her friends, for some reason, were sprawled in a big heap on the ground, all staring up at the night sky. All except Percy and Annabeth, who were clutching onto one another a few yards away. Leo had returned to the helm, tinkering with the astrolabe. He stood off to the side, alone.

Rosie, amused, loomed over her friends.

"And what exactly is this?" she asked, grinning.

Piper giggled. "We want to sleep under the stars tonight."

"Seriously?" She exclaimed, throwing herself to the ground. She guessed this was something they could now do without Coach chaperoning- although, he would probably find out. "I'm down."

She wedged herself between Jason and Frank. She turned to face Frank, winking at him. "Sup, Praetor Zhang," she said flirtatiously.

Frank blushed, moving closer to Hazel. "She's doing it again!"

Hazel peeked over Frank's chest, laughing. "You're evil."

"Proud of it," Rosie said.

Jason looked over at her. "You okay?" He asked.

She figured he had seen it, the conversation with Leo.

"I will be," she decided calmly, looking up at the stars. And she truly meant it- things were going to be okay, no matter how they turned out. Nico's words were in her head: she didn't ask for this life, but she was doing the best she could with it. "Hey, you know any constellations?"

She couldn't see him, but she hoped he was smiling. "Yeah, a few."

As Jason started telling them about the constellations, Rosie settled in, never feeling safer before than among the friends surrounding her. Right now, there was no Gaea or giants or prophecy. Instead, she thought back to her childhood, growing up in Maine. Her bedroom window was perfect for looking at the stars. That was how she spent so many of her nights: staring up at the stars, imagining worlds she could only dream of, worlds she didn't know existed until now. She remembered the Leonardo Da Vinci quote her mom and Buzz were obsessed with, the one they used to recite on starry nights on the Rosemary, their naval ship. She still knew it word for word.

Fix your course to a star and you can navigate any storm.

And my god, did she hope that was true.

okay, so i feel slightly guilty for ending on that note. but hell's holding is officially complete! i am currently doing a BoO rewrite, but I'm probably going to hold off from posting until i'm completely done with it- lots of loose ends to wrap up. in the meantime, i might post some oneshots- keep your eyes peeled for a oneshot on june 10th!

thanks so much for all of the support, guys! you are all the best readers. if you feel like rereading the entire rewrite, i do recommend that- might give you some clues as to how this is all going to wrap up.

thanks again everyone!