Hi guys! Sorry to keep y'all waiting again, because I know how much it sucks when I'm waiting on someone else to update, but I hope this is worth it :)

Perseus-Prior: Not sure if I already thanked you, but regardless thank you so much for the support and love for this story :)

Pbeth4eva: RIGHT NOW. Thanks for reading :)

LadyHW: Thank you, thank you, I try. I'm trying! It's hard! But I'll try to keep them up :)

I just realized how often I use smiley faces. Whoops :)

Boi: I wanted to cry when I read this, so thank you so so much.

: THANKS. Annabeth is not dating Percy, they just kissed, and I don't think they even know what that means yet. Right now they're just both a little embarrassed, and it kind of opened up their mind to certain possibilities, but besides that they're just best friends. She did, however, accept to going out with Matthew on a whim (but does Annabeth ever do anything in a whim?) and is figuring out how she feels about him. Thanks, I'm glad that you do :)

Warning: There will be alcohol and guns in this chapter.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Piper

Dear Piper,

I'm sorry. I know I promised that I wouldn't leave, that I'd stay for you. I couldn't though.

You won't understand why, probably, but I just can feel you slipping away lately? I don't really know what I did wrong, but I'm sorry about it. I know Jason's been worried about our...friendship lately, and I guess you can tell him he no longer needs to be. Tell him he's one of the best friends I've ever had. Tell him I'm sorry for making things so hard on him. Tell him I hope things are better now that I'm gone, and that I hope he remembers the good times we had.

I'd like you to tell the others that it had nothing to do with them. I know Percy, he'll think he could've done something, and Hazel knew I was thinking of doing this, so she'll probably blame herself. Tell them not to. Tell them if anything I stayed longer because of them.

If you're reading this out loud to them, this is the part to stop.

I'm in love with you Piper McLean. I have been for a few months. I don't even know what it is about you, but you made me feel things so powerfully that...it scared me. It scared me to feel that kind of love again, and I didn't know how to deal with those feelings.

When my mother passed away, I didn't have too many things I could depend on. Scratch that, I had nothing to depend on. I want you to know that in the time I was here, I felt like I could depend on you.

I'm sorry if I did something to push you away. I never meant to. If you ever see me again, please do me a favor and pretend you don't remember.

Pretend that you don't remember me, or our friendship, or my feelings...as if it never happened. Because that's what I'll do.

See you around, McLean.

Leo

After she read it once, she set it down on her bed, calmly walked to her balcony window, and sat there, staring out onto the lake that glistened happily below. She watched the light reflect off of it, for a moment. Then she stood up again, got the letter, and brought it out with her, and stared at it. She read it again, and then went inside and put it back on her bed. She looked around her room. She took one glance at the light blue walls that coated the entire room, then swiftly stepped out and went to the garage.

Her mom went through a phase a few weeks ago, painting each wall in the house a different color than it originally was. One of her little 'projects,' which happen once or twice a month. She picked up the first can she saw, the first brush, and then walked back upstairs robotically. She sat at her bed, read the letter one more time, then ripped open the paint can, accidentally getting some on her clothes and the white carpet beneath her. She couldn't bring herself to care.

She was halfway through the first wall when she realized her hand was shaking. That won't do, she chided her hand. You'll mess up the strokes.

She breathed in deeply. Once. Four times. Then she picked up her brush again, looking up at the the murky brown coating the walls, as she felt the first of many tears slide silently down her cheeks.

She thumbed at them frustratedly, groaning in exasperation. She only ignored him because Jason asked her to pick between them, and she was trying to figure out a solution. Not that it mattered now, because he was gone. Forever.

She palmed at her eyes again, crying out in anger as she splattered the paint on the walls, hitting paint against them in rage. She gasped as she tried to hold them in, but she couldn't, because how could he even think that she hated him. He was her best friend, and now he was gone who knows where.

She thought of Beckendorf, waiting at home for his foster brother to show up for dinner, which he never would. It wasn't fair.

"It isn't fair!" she cried out, throwing the brush across the room, where it landed with a small thump that in no way calmed her down.

When Silena came in an hour later, sweaty and tired from volleyball practice, she gently pried her away from the floor, sat her down in the restroom, and told her to get in the shower.

She really couldn't bring herself to say no.

Two weeks later

They were all sitting in the lunchroom. Usually they'd be outside, but lately it's just so cold that none of them are particularly in the mood. She was staring around the table, Jason's hand in hers. Matthew sat next to Annabeth, but he wasn't talking to her. She was twisted around chatting with Percy happily about a grade she'd gotten in Math, pleased with herself that she was one of the only ones who'd passed. Percy nodded along encouragingly as he dug into his sandwich, his eyes flickering over to the scowling Matthew, sat two seats over from him, every once in a while. Hazel and Silena were huddled close together, whispering fiercely about something.

Honestly, she couldn't bring herself to care. Annabeth was being stupid. She was going out with a guy she didn't even like, and it was probably just because Luke was in high school now. Ever since him and Thalia left to Lakeview High, they hadn't hung out too much with them. Annabeth was probably just looking for someone else to crush on, when she had a perfectly good guy that obviously liked her right next to her. It was infuriating.

"Hey, you okay?" She turned to find Jason staring at her worriedly, his hand in hers slightly sweaty.

"Yeah," she sighed, glaring over at Annabeth. "Peachy."

Percy caught her murderous gaze, to which he raised a questioning eyebrow. When she shook her head, he sighed and tipped his head towards the hallway, probably so he could interrogate her. She rolled her eyes but nodded, watching as he turned back to Annabeth briefly.

He took her hand to get her attention, as she'd been chatting with Matthew about something that happened in class. "Hey," he smiled softly at her, and she smiled dopily back. "I'll be right back, I'm just gonna go to the restroom really quick."

"Okay," she smiled at him, and Piper watched as her hand squeezed his. Honestly, it's like they were married or something.

A few minutes after he left, she stood too. Jason looked at her questioningly, but she just ignored him, moving swiftly towards the hall.

"Alright," he sighed immediately, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at her with a hard expression. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing's up with me," she rolled her eyes at him. "I didn't do anything."

"Pipes, I know it's hard with Leo being gone-" his voice cut off, and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly at her glare. He cleared his throat. "Right, sorry. Anyway, you need to get over this, and it doesn't help that you've been super mean to Annabeth lately-"

"I have not!" He glared at her. "Fine, I have. It just- how can she do that to-why can't she see-?"

"Full sentences, Piper." He told her exasperatedly, leaning against the lockers.

Piper glared at him. He knew what she was talking about, yet he refused to acknowledge it. "What happened over the summer, Percy?"

He immediately stiffened, a cold glare sent her way. "Nothing."

"Then why is she going out with a guy we both know she doesn't like?" He flinched as if Piper had struck him, and she immediately felt horrible. "Percy, I'm sorry, but it's very easy to see-"

"You know I'm getting really tired of hearing this." He told her coldly, his jaw clenched. "Annabeth and I are best friends. Just best friends. You need to get it through your head."

"But you're not happy-"

"You can't say that!" He growled, leaning towards her. "Not when you're doing the same thing!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" She barked at him. He scoffed, rolling his eyes, and that infuriated her even more. "No, really, oh great Perseus. Enlighten me!"

"Jason," he spit out. "doesn't deserve this. He's a good guy, and you're stringing him along."

"I am not stringing Jason along! I really like him!" She said honestly, and he studied her for a moment. They stood there, angry and tired of fighting, and simultaneously unclenched their jaws and softened their expressions. Maybe it was because they didn't like fighting each other; it wasn't really their thing. Maybe it's because they both knew the other was right. "I'm sorry."

He sighed deeply, giving her a quick hug. "No, I'm sorry, I asked you to come out here to make you feel better."

She gave a laugh at that and he gave her a small smile. "Didn't work."

"I figured." A pause. "I don't like her going out with him."

"I know," she told him softly, and his eyes looked so sad, that she decided to be honest too. "I miss him."

"I know." They looked at each other, and a silent understanding passed between them. "No more lying to each other, okay? From now on, we tell each other how we're feeling."

She nodded, a tired smile spreading across her face. "Does that mean you'll tell me what's going on with you and Annabeth?"

"Piper!"

3rd POV

Gabe Ugliano knew three things about his task. One: It would take twenty-three minutes. Two: The boy had to die. Three: That punk would finally get what he deserved.

He sat in a small, silver Prius with leather-bound seats and the heater turned all the way up. The gun still sat beside him, but it would be used soon enough. His dark, beady eyes scanned the perimeter, and his greasy mop of hair hung in his eyes, as it hadn't been cut or washed in quite some time. His lips smacked against the side of his beer can, and he grinned as the warmth of the liquid spread through him. He had his eyes set on the curly-haired blond that waited for the raven-haired lad that was about to have his life ended. She really wasn't as beautiful as Kronos had portrayed her, but Gabe supposed Kronos just liked making ugly things appear that way. It had always been his specialty.

She turned in a circle, tucking her schoolbag higher onto her shoulder as she waited. His eyes scanned her body, appraising it and its allure as a drunken man would appraise his last drink. He couldn't see the front of her face from this angle, just the big book held in her hands. It was quite the volume, and it sure was a pity such a smart and levelheaded girl was about to be scarred for life. He narrowed his eyes at her, for it seemed all men could be brought to their knees by the seductions of a vivacious woman.

His dark eyes narrowed in hate as he stumbled out of the building behind him, and his hands grasped for the gun at his side, swiftly positioning it towards the boys' direction. He could see their filthy sea-green color from here, and he saw how his eyes sparked to life at the sight of the girl. He wandered towards her confidently, pressing a kiss to her cheek and saying something that made her laugh.

Gabe snarled at them. He'd been following them for weeks, and finally he had the chance to end this search. All he had to do was shoot.

Sticking his gun through the lowered window, he shot twice at the area around them, finding a sick sense of satisfaction as they jumped, startled and panicked. He couldn't help the laugh that tumbled from his mouth at seeing their desperate faces, their dread-filled eyes. The guy threw the girl behind a nearby van, strategically out of the way of Gabe's range. No matter. He wasn't really here for the girl.

The raven-haired brute pulled out his cell phone, and Gabe watched as he leaned down and pressed his lips to the girl's forehead, muttering a few words to her and dialing some numbers. Gabe sighed. He certainly was making this difficult, wasn't he?

He pulled his ski mask from the glove compartment, stuffing it over his head quickly. He cursed as he hit his elbow against the car door on his way out.

Across the way, he saw the green-eyed boys widen in fear as they made eye contact, but soon the expression was gone, lifeless, and replaced by the bullet-shaped hole in between his eyes, blood dripping into them as the girl's screams filled the night.

Well, that was a doozy. Hope you enjoyed. Leave a review please, I worked hard on this one. Action should pick up from here :)