Hey guys, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Here's a taste of what Hazel is thinking at the moment!
Replies:
Quip Scarlet: Poseidon who only recently got told that his favorite child, who died saving their asses, is alive again, suddenly gets a prayer from her 'whoop, who gives a shit about the rules I'm getting my baby girl her boat' of course, he won't tell anyone else what he's doing so that will cause some confusion amongst certain people.
Undeath9087: Well we all know they won't take it all the way to Alaska- and yeah, the picture was left there, no ones used the boat since she died for understandable reasons- so it was left as it was, but hey at least Percy not has the picture.
The Official Clarisse: I also refuse to believe that Annabeth hasn't at least been interested in other pantheons even if she doesn't believe they're real so like- I like to imagine that she's read some of Julius' books and then she meets Percy and hears her last name and she like 'there's no way' and then Percy's just casually like 'Yeah, my dad was pretty in those circles he wrote lots of books' cue Annabeth melting down because holy shit could this strange girl be any more interesting?' And you shall have to wait, it'll be a while before I even get to that stage honestly. And yep, that was my goal with the photo.
JjlovesPJO: Oh Hazel will be learning more about the picture later- I think she'd be a lot more interested in Leo though, at least at first.
MKDemigodzilla-warrior: Yeah I have that all written- it won't be Leo's fault I can tell you that much now.
Weirdhead: The photo would have been taken after the Labyrinth, and Tyson at that point had gone back to the Forges so he wasn't in it. Don't worry though I haven't forgotten him.
Guest: They can have Animal heads and normal heads I believe in the Kane Chronicles, from what I remember, and Poseidon does know now, though he hasn't known for very long. And Frank and Hazel haven't looked at the photo properly yet- I doubt they'd be too interested in Thalia at this stage because I mean, Leo and Nico are right there! And no the boat was at Montauk- though they will notice that it's been taken- of course if your dead daughter/sister/girlfriends boat disappears you're not gonna assume she's alive again you'd assume it's been stolen.
Drizzle: Damn straight Poseidon was gonna help her.

Hazel hadn't expected to see Percy break down over a photo, she hadn't looked at it- it seemed private- so she and Frank had stepped outside of the bedroom to let Percy have her moment, and when Percy had emerged a few minutes later her eyes were red rimmed but she'd given them a wide smile.

Hazel could understand that- it must be horrible not being able to remember anything. She didn't envy the older girl- and it must be even harder to know that you should know something but didn't- the photo was both evidence that Percy had a life before, and an almost taunting reminder of what she no longer had- though
Hazel was already sure that she'd fight to help the other girl get it back.

She wondered if the photo had the brother Bianca had mentioned in it- her sister hadn't been willing to say anymore than she had already, but Hazel wasn't stupid.
Percy might not realise it but it was obvious that she was the one who had stepped up when Bianca had let this brother down. She'd been able to tell that by the look on Bianca's face- and Bianca clearly blamed herself for whatever had happened to Percy, for however she'd died.

Hazel wondered if she should tell Percy that. It was a huge thing to just not mention. But how were you supposed to bring it up?

'Hey Percy, guess what, my sister told me you were dead like me, surprise!' No. No Hazel wasn't doing that. She'd figure out how to explain it first.

In any case, when Percy did emerge she'd headed up to the deck and a moment later Hazel had felt the engine come alive. When she and Frank had gone up to the deck Percy was sat down on the blue benches which were set around a low table.

"Shouldn't you be in the control room or something?" Frank's voice was hesitant. "What if-"

"The boat responds to me." Percy said quietly, "It does what I want it to. I know how to use the controls but I don't need to."

"That's good." Hazel let out a breath, her gaze shifting to look out at the water- they were moving away from the docks now at a pretty good speed. It was a relief, truthfully. Hazel had been terrified of the other boat- it brought back too many bad memories- memories of her past of Alaska- she forced them down quickly, moving to sit next to Percy.

Of course the better boat didn't mean that she didn't get seasick- as soon as they left the dock her stomach started to churn and by the time they passed the piers along the San Francisco Embarcadero, she felt so woozy she thought she was hallucinating. They sped by a pack of sea lions lounging on the docks, and she was pretty sure she saw rainbow colored huge seahorses- big enough that she could probably even ride one- they seemed to follow them, and Percy was smiling widely at them before they dove deeper into the water out of sight.

Soon enough they had passed under the Golden Gate Bridge and they turned north, and Hazel tried to settle her stomach by thinking of pleasant things-the euphoria she'd felt last night when they'd won the war games, riding Hannibal into the enemy keep, Frank's sudden transformation into a leader. He'd looked like a different person when he'd scaled the walls, calling on the Fifth Cohort to attack. The way he'd swept the defenders off the battlements…Hazel had never seen him like that before. She'd been so proud to pin the centurion's badge to his shirt.

Then her thoughts turned to Bianca. Before they'd left her sister had pulled her aside to wish her luck. Hazel had been hoping the other girl would stay at Camp Jupiter to help defend it but he'd said he'd be leaving after they left to head back to the underworld.

She'd seemed worried, telling Hazel that she was going to help their father get things back into order because the underworld was pure chaos that even the Furies could barely control.

When Hazel had asked why this mysterious brother she'd mentioned wasn't going to help Bianca had looked strained as she'd admitted that he hadn't visited the Underworld in a long time- that he had no clue how bad things were and that she and their father had no intentions of telling him.

And Bianca had admitted that she was going to try and find the Doors of Death.

Hazel was worried about that- about how dangerous it would be but Bianca had smiled and reassured her.

When Hazel had brought up her fears about Thanatos Bianca had gone distant, thoughtful, and Hazel was clinging to her words for what little comfort they could give her.

'I don't know for sure what Thanatos will do when you free him, but I know that you and Percy are needed. If it came down to it I think father would order Thanatos to allow you back to the mortal world.'

She hoped her sister was right- for her own sake and Percy's. Percy who had no idea what she was risking by coming on this quest. It made Hazel feel unbearably guilty.

The boat shuddered, jolting Hazel back to the present. They entered the Pacific currents and skirted the rocky coastline of Marin County.

Frank had joined them on the plush benches and he held his ski bag across his lap. It passed over Hazel's knees like the safety bar on an amusement ride, which made her think of the time Sammy had taken her to the carnival during Mardi Gras.…She quickly pushed that memory aside. She couldn't risk a blackout.

"You okay?" Frank asked. "You look queasy."

"Seasickness," she confessed. "I didn't think it would be this bad."

Frank pouted like it was somehow his fault. He started digging in his pack. "I've got some nectar. And some crackers. Um, my grandmother says ginger helps…I don't have any of that, but—" "It's okay." Hazel mustered a smile. "That's sweet of you, though."

Frank pulled out a saltine. It snapped in his big fingers. Cracker exploded everywhere.

Hazel laughed. "Gods, Frank.…Sorry. I shouldn't laugh."

"Uh, no problem," he said sheepishly.

"Guess you don't want that one."

Percy wasn't paying much attention. She kept her eyes fixed on the shoreline. As they passed Stinson Beach, she pointed inland, where a single mountain rose above the green hills.

"That looks familiar." her voice was tight, her expression distant.

"Mount Tam," Frank said. "Kids at camp are always talking about it. Big battle happened on the summit, at the old Titan base."

Percy frowned. "Were either of you there? I've heard it mentioned- Mount Orthys."

"No," Hazel said. "That was back in August, before I—um, before I got to camp. Jason told me about it. The legion destroyed the enemy's palace and about a million monsters. Jason had to battle Krios—hand-to-hand combat with a Titan, if you can imagine."

"I can imagine I think." Percy's voice was quiet, distant and Hazel found herself wondering if that was how Percy had died. If she'd died fighting a Titan. That would almost definitely earn her a place in Elysium Hazel was sure.

"You think you've been there before?" that came from Frank- and Percy looked as sick as Hazel felt, reaching up to tug lightly at her curls- they were shoulder length, though when they were pulled out like Percy was now they were longer.

"I think so. I don't think it was fun." and then her hand moved and she curled the strange streak of gray hair around her finger. "I think-" she pressed her lips together in a thin line, "I think I was there more than once. I think-" she shook her head. "I think it- it was bad- the second time- I think-" she shook her head, "I- I don't know-"

"Hey-" Franks voice was worried, "Don't strain yourself Percy. We'll figure it out."

And Percy's shoulders slumped. "Yeah. You're right." the older girl turned her head to look at Frank and Hazel. "Sorry. I know I must be a real buzzkill-"

"No." Hazel shook her head, "It's not your fault that you don't have your memories."

"Yeah, I know but still." she paused, "You said something about being seasick right?"

"Yeah." Hazel nodded, "I'll be fine though-"

"You do look kinda green- maybe if you went down inside- you might feel the movement less in there." and Hazel was honestly touched by the worried look on Percy's face. The other girl barely knew her and yet she was still trying to make sure Hazel was comfortable and safe.

She might not be sure where she stood with Bianca- the ages made things confusing but it was real easy to see how Percy had taken in her half brother.

"I don't want to make a big deal about it." Hazel shook her head, "I'll be fine Percy don't worry."

"Are you sure?" Frank frowned, "Because Percy might be right-"

"I can't spend this entire journey locked away down in the cabin." Hazel pointed out, "I want to pull my weight,"

"And you will." Percy said firmly, "But- if you're sure you want to stay up here that's fine. Just don't push yourself."

"I'll be fine, really."

"Good." Percy let out a huff, "Because if you're not I will lock you down there in the bedroom." she shifted, "I wonder if there's any ginger biscuits down below."

"You think there might be?" Hazel's voice was curious and hopeful, and Percy nodded.

"Yeah, I think- I think my dad used to keep it stocked- or he restocked it. I think. I don't know." she moved quickly, "I'll go have a look." and with that Percy was disappearing down below and Hazel let out a laugh.

"Is it just me or-"

"Is she a bit of a mother hen?" Frank finished, his lips twitching. "I think she likes looking after people."

"So do I." Hazel nodded, "Did you see the photo?"

"Not really but there were a lot of people in it-"

"I think she's a big sister." Hazel told Frank, "She's used to taking care of people."

"She's used to all of this." Frank's brows furrowed- and that probably shouldn't look as cute as it did. "Do- do you think she's- y'know- I mean the boat's name."

Hazel faltered. "I don't know." she admitted, "Maybe. But-" she remembered the stories of the Greeks they'd been told- sure Percy was crazy powerful and she fought like a demon but- she was so... nice. She was warm and comforting- it was hard not to feel safer with her around. If she was a Greek then they couldn't be all that bad, could they? Either way Hazel pushed away those thoughts, those doubts.

Bianca trusted Percy, Bianca had gone out of her way to specifically rescue Percy from the Underworld- which was more than she'd done even for Hazel- who she'd stumbled on while exploring. No. No Percy was trustworthy- and besides it wasn't even fair to ask questions like that when Percy didn't know herself who she was.

And Hazel would be a hypocrite to judge Percy for anything after what she'd done.

"I know." Frank's words brought Hazel from her thoughts, "I don't think I could do this if she hadn't agreed to come. You too, obviously but-"

"I get it." Hazel nodded. "She might have amnesia but she clearly knows what she's doing more than either of us." she gave a wry smile, and Frank nodded.

"Yep." his gaze moved to Mount Tam. "I wonder why she was there."

"So do I." Hazel stared up towards it.

Maybe it had been where Percy died. She wondered if that was what Percy's nightmare had been about that morning- or whatever it had been- she'd woken up pale and terrified looking but then she'd gotten worse- as if waking up had made it even worse.

And of course, thinking of death made Hazel's mind inevitably drift to to her own death and the months leading up to it. Her house in Seward, the six months she'd spent in Alaska, taking the little boat into Resurrection Bay at night, visiting that cursed island.

She realised her mistake too late- the last thing she saw before her vision went black was Percy climbing back out from the cabin holding a mug with steam curling up from it.