raddodish- oh you know i love leaving yall anxious!
LovelyAstorxia- oh happy belated birthday! hope it was a good one :) and you guys have such good memory, i am always impressed by what you remember! and i love hearing your theories...you're on the right track :)
Mia- haha thank you sm! it's so fun writing those two bonding
read94-dun dun dunnn! i will say that the ending of the hidden oracle/beginning of dark prophecy will be slightly different because of the max plotline...more on that later :) and ooh...interesting theory. i can neither deny nor confirm :D
and the action begins! alot goes down this chapter...and next chapter is a leo chapter...with the appearance of max reiger...who i am so excited to introduce omg
Nat King Cole crooned in the background as Nico scowled.
"I'm having trouble seeing the point of this."
"Don't move," she instructed, placing some tinsel on Nico's shoulder.
"Rosie!" Nico exclaimed, aggravated. He was decorated like a human Christmas tree.
"Okay, sorry," she said with a grin. "I had extra decorations, and I wanted to test how far you would let me go."
Nico rolled his eyes, taking the Santa hat off his head and chucking it across Rosie's cabin.
"Scrooge," she said playfully, as Nico brushed tinsel off his clothes.
"Forgive me for not getting into the spirit this year," he muttered.
Okay- he had a point there.
Two other campers had gone missing since Cecil. Ellis Wakefield and Miranda Gardiner had both disappeared, no note or anything left behind. It was becoming clear that whatever was happening, wasn't a result of the camper's freewill. It certainly had put a damper on things- but Rosie was desperately trying to ignore that.
"Fair," She gritted out. "Things are falling to crap, I get it, okay? But today is Christmas Eve, and for a second, I want to pretend that things are normal. That...Austin from the Apollo cabin getting sick on eggnog will be the craziest thing that happens. That we can just watch Home Alone, and pretend that Kevin's issues are bigger than our own." Christmas used to be her favorite holiday, after all.
"I've never seen that movie."
"You have never lived, my friend."
Nico sighed. "Are you sure spending Christmas with Percy is a good idea? I'm not sure you should leave camp."
"I'll be fine, Nico," Rosie said. "Argus is walking me there, and Percy is picking me up from the train. I'll be fine."
"You're in no state to fight off a monster."
"Bullshit," she said tensely.
"Are we going to pretend that your earthquakes aren't directly correlated to your emotions? Because-"
"On the first day of Christmas," Rosie started singing, horribly off-key. "My true love gave to me-"
She wasn't going to do this...talk about the demigod stuff.
"I hate you. Come on, we'll be late to the party."
"Wait. Before we go." She took out a parcel.
Nico groaned. "You did not get me a gift."
He had made it quite clear: she was, in no circumstance, to get him a present. Of course, she had completely ignored that ruling.
"Guilty," she said with a sheepish smile.
"I will not accept that."
"You will," she said threateningly. "Don't mess with me, Nico diAngelo."
Nico sighed. "Fine, hand it over."
She laughed gleefully, giving Nico the present. As soon as he unwrapped it, he smirked, pulling out the black scarf Rosie knitted for him.
Nico looked...touched? That was impossible.
He laughed softly. "Thanks for this, Rosie," he said, wrapping it around his neck.
"Thank you," she said.
"For what? I didn't get you anything."
"For...not leaving camp," she said awkwardly. "I know you didn't do it for me, but...I'm glad you're here. I'm glad there's someone here who... went through it with me. The stuff on the ship, I mean."
Sometimes it had felt that the quest had never even happened- the crew of the Argo II was so, so scattered.
Nico looked at her wordlessly. He didn't move a muscle.
He opened his mouth, and Rosie quickly held up a hand to stop him.
"No- you're Nico. You are not mushy or emotional and I'm not going to make you do that. I just wanted you to know that you make me feel less alone." He would never know how much he had helped her these past few months.
Nico gulped. "Yeah- you do the same for me."
Rosie quickly blinked, getting rid of any tears that threatened to pop up. She nodded, nothing else needing to be said on this subject. "Okay. So...let's go party."
The two of them exited her cabin, seeing that the party was in full swing. Fake snow fell down upon them, as satyrs sang Christmas carols.
"Merry Christmas!" Jake appeared, two cups of hot cocoa in his hands. "Here, drink up."
"Thank you, Jake," Rosie said, shooting Nico a look. "I'm glad someone's in the spirit. We've got a Scrooge on our hands."
"Who's a Scrooge?" Will asked, appearing and wrapping his arm around Nico. Will was decked out in spirited red and green, a sharp contrast from Nico's all black outfit. "Is it my lovely boyfriend?" He picked up Nico's scarf in his fingers, inspecting it. "Ooh, nice scarf- it's about time."
Nico grimaced. "I hate the boyfriend title."
Will laughed at Nico's embarrassment. "Hey, boyfriend, wanna kiss me under the mistletoe?"
Nico blushed. "Um, well-" he looked at Rosie and Jake, and gulped. "We'll be back."
As the two scurried away holding hands, Rosie feigned gagging.
"They're like a married couple," she said. "They're one step away from buying a minivan."
"To be young and in love."
"Cheers to that," she said, raising her cup of cocoa. She took a moment to stop and take in camp, feeling a wave of warmth as she took in the decorations.
"Have you guys seen Harley?"
Rosie turned around, where Nyssa was standing, a worried look on her face.
"No," Jake said. "He hasn't been around?"
"I was checking the Bunker, but he's not there. I don't know where else to look," Nyssa said, sounding slightly panicked.
Rosie tried to swallow her own fear. It was Christmas- nothing bad could happen on Christmas.
"Okay," Rosie quickly interjected. "It's okay. We'll find him- let's fan out, okay?"
She would not let Harley be the fourth camper missing- no way.
She spit off from Nyssa and Jake, trying to cover every area of camp. She checked the stable, the mess hall, even the shore of the Sound. If she was an eight year old kid, where would she be?
Rosie opened the door of the Hephaestus cabin.
"Harley?"
"Rosie!"
She involuntarily jumped, slamming into the door.
"Shit," she muttered. She glanced at Harley, who had suddenly appeared. "I mean...shoot. Sorry- you just scared me, Harley. Where have you been? We've been looking everywhere for you."
"I've been working on your present- duh."
Rosie wanted to laugh at his nonchalant attitude. "Harley, you didn't have to get me anything."
"It's not just for you. It's for everyone." Harley grabbed her hand, dragging her down the aisle of the cabin.
They stopped in front of the last bunk. There was a display on the wood framing of the bed: LEO VALDEZ was spelled out in magnetic letters. They must have done something to the letters: they were glowing ember, like they were on fire.
Rosie gulped. "Wow...that's, um, really nice Harls."
"That's not your present." Harley reached under the bed, pulling out a gold cylinder with a lightbulb attached.
He handed it to Rosie, with a wild grin.
Rosie turned the object over in her hands, mustering a smile on her face. "Wow. Harley," she began in a fake enthusiastic tone. "This is great. This'll be great for my….um-" she broke off awkwardly.
What the hell was this thing?
"It's a beacon!" Harley said impatiently.
"A- a beacon?" She asked, confused. "But what-"
"It's for Leo and Festus...it's to help them get home."
"Oh." Her heart fell, and as tangible as the object in her hands was the thought she was having: Leo wasn't coming home.
"They're just lost! Once I finish the beacon, Festus will pick up the frequency and they'll be home!"
He wasn't coming back. Harley sounded so, so hopeful. A child like Harley hasn't grasped the finality of death.
But she was beginning to.
She ran over the smooth surface of the beacon. What was she doing with herself? What was her next move?
"It...it's great, Harley," Rosie said.
"Really?"
"Yeah," she said, trying to keep an upbeat tone . "Leo...Leo needs a way home. You're giving him...a way home."
Everyone knows a lighthouse is how you get home.
The train rumbled and hissed, groaning to a stop.
Rosie exited the train, shooting a stranger an apologetic look as she accidentally elbowed them.
She was introduced to the chaotic world of Penn Station, packed to the rim with people. She squeezed her way through the crowd, feeling a December breeze work its way up her spine.
Rosie shivered, rubbing her hands together.
"Ro!"
She spotted a head, jumping up and down among the crowd.
Then came the gloved hands, waving crazily.
Rosie grinned, hurrying through.
She spotted her brother, sporting one of the hats she had knit him in the past.
Percy grinned upon seeing her, rushing forward.
He wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground. She let out a shocked laugh, hugging him tightly.
Percy talked the entire fifteen blocks to his apartment, going on and going. Rosie let him go on- honestly, she just liked hearing the sound of his voice.
"And over there, that's my favorite record store. You'll have to come back another day, and we'll check it out and-" He took a breath, pausing and looking over at her. "Are you alright?"
"Honestly?" She admitted. "I'm a little nervous to meet your mom."
She had heard amazing things about Percy's mom. What if she didn't like Rosie? She didn't know how Mrs. Jackson would feel about her being the daughter of the other woman that Poseidon hooked up with. And what about Max? Would it be weird to bring him up?
Percy gave him a comforting look, opening the door of his apartment building for her. "Honestly? She's going to love you."
The first thing that hit her when she walked into Percy's apartment was the smell of cookies.
Next was the two smiling faces. Sally Jackson, Percy's mom, was wearing a green dress. She was pregnant, too- soon enough Percy would have another sibling. Paul Blofis, Percy's stepfather, stood next to her, smiling warmly.
"Hey!" Percy greeted them. "It's, uh, the moment you've all been waiting- this is Rosie."
Rosie gave a small wave, feeling a little awkward. She did as she always does when she's nervous- blabbed and made dumb jokes.
"So let me guess," she started. She pointed at Percy's mom. "Mrs. Jackson- Mom." She glanced at Paul. "Mr. Blofis- stepfather. And Mini-Blofis- baby. Man, that was hard."
Percy's mom burst out laughing.
"Percy told us you had a sense of humor," she said, closing the distance between her and Rosie. "Please, call me Sally. And sorry, but I'm a hugger."
Rosie almost drew back in shock at the touch- it was so motherly, she wanted to burst out into tears. To be held by a parent...that was another kind of happiness.
"Lucky for you," Rosie muttered, hugging her back tightly. "I'm kind of a pro at these things."
"We're so glad you could spend the holiday with us," Paul told her.
Rosie could tell Percy was itching to get her alone and talking, but she pretended not to notice. Instead...she had a normal Christmas. It felt like it was straight out of Norman Rockwell painting. They watched movies, laughed, ate tons of food. Sally and Rosie completely wiped the floor with Paul and Percy in the Pictionary. She felt...normal, for the first time in what had felt like forever.
Towards the end of the night, Percy approached from out of the corner of her eye, a cup of hot cocoa in his hand.
"Got time for a P.O.W.W.O.W?" He asked, handing her a cup.
She grinned- she could still never get used to the sound of him saying that. "I thought you'd never ask."
They went onto Percy's fire escape, bundled up in blankets and huddled together.
She couldn't believe it- it was snowing. It was a white Christmas.
"Pretty, huh?" Percy asked, watching her look out onto the glittering city. "It's one of my favorite views."
"It's...it's amazing. There's a whole world out there." She couldn't take her eyes off it.
Percy softly laughed. "There sure is." Her brother glanced at her with a concerned face. "Is...is it getting better, Ro? The pain, I mean."
Her hands clasped her mug even tighter, taking a tentative sip.
"How's Annabeth?" She asked lightly.
He shook his head. "No bullshit," he reminded her gently.
Rosie gulped.
"It's like I'm trying to tape myself back together."
Percy remained silent.
"But..I was torn to shreds, you know? So I'm never going to fit in the same way again. It isn't a puzzle, with clean edges that fit together. It's a piece of paper that someone tore into a million pieces that are impossible to fit back together. I'll..I'll be a different Rosie- I don't know what that means yet, Percy." A ship of Theseus from her old self...from the Argo II Rosie.
Percy took a shuddering breath, a look of shame appearing on his face. "I should've checked in more."
"Percy-"
"You're my sister. I abandoned you. I was caught up with school-"
"Stop it," she commanded. "You didn't abandon me." Percy did nothing wrong.
"I'm worse than Barnacle Breath."
"Percy."
"I'm sorry."
"I don't accept your apology because you did nothing to me."
Percy nodded, looking unconvinced. "But the rest of camp is good? And, um, Piper and Jason? You've been talking to them, right?"
She decided she couldn't tell him the truth. It would only break his heart more, and she didn't want him to worry.
In that moment, she knew what her next move would be. Soon enough, Percy wouldn't have to worry about her.
"Camp's…great," she lied. "Piper and Jason check in once in a while, they're doing awesome."
A relief smile appeared on Percy. "Oh. Great-that's great."
The two fell into a comfortable silence, sipping their drinks as they stared out at New York City.
"What are you thinking, Ro?" Percy whispered.
The chill in the New York City air made her shiver, bringing the blanket closer.
"I'm thinking..." she trailed off for a second, her original words gone. I have a plan. "About how I have the greatest brother in the world."
"Aw, shucks."
"I mean it."
"I'm going to go back inside- you should too, before you freeze to death."
"Just a little longer, okay? I...I like the view."
Percy hesitated for a moment, then nodded with a small smile. He gave her knee a playful tap, opening the window and climbing back inside.
She had been stagnant for far too long. She needed to jolt herself into movement...into action.
Her plan went into action two weeks later.
Step one- pack a bag.
Step two- leave a note so no one would worry- or worse- come after her.
Step three- go to the stables and leave in the middle of the night.
Step four- start over, whatever that means.
She slipped into the stables, quietly shutting the door behind her.
Well, look who it is.
In the middle of the night? Really?
She ignored the majority of the Pegasi, heading over to Keaton.
Rosie? He asked.
"Hey, bud," she said with a smile. "You want to go on an adventure?"
Are you sure about this?
She nodded. "Positive."
"Rosie?"
She silently cursed under her breath, realizing she wasn't alone. She turned, only to find Nico and Will in the darkness of the stable, staring back at her. She didn't know why they were up, or how they even knew to come find her.
Will looked utterly baffled. One look at Nico, and Rosie knew he was onto her.
"What...what are you doing?" Will asked, confusion in his voice.
"I'll tell you what she's doing," Nico said bluntly. "She's leaving."
"Rosie?"
She gritted her teeth, turning back to face Keaton. "Can you guys just go back to bed?"
"Is it true?" Will asked quietly. "You're leaving?"
"Yep," she finally admitted flatly. "I'm going far, far away-"
"Rosie-" Will began.
"Full circle, huh," Nico said in a cruel tone.
"Shut up!" She hissed, whipping around to Nico. "I'm starting over, okay? I did it when I was thirteen, I can do it now." She couldn't stay here, not now when she had finally grasped her reality- Leo wasn't coming. She didn't want anything to do with camp- she needed to leave.
There was an entire world out there.
"So you're going to LA?" Nico asked pointedly. "Or to Percy?"
"Go back to bed," she snapped, emphasizing each word.
"If you leave," Nico said in a threatening tone. "Then you're not the person I thought you were." He grabbed Will's arm, and started to drag him away.
"Which is?"
Nico stopped in his tracks, scoffing.
"The kind of person who doesn't tell someone bullshit about being there for one another," he said in a hurt tone. "The kind of person who sticks around in a storm, even when it's hard. The kind of person who picks themselves up and keeps going...instead of running away."
Her bag fell to the ground, and Rosie hung her head, ashamed.
"I...I'm-" she broke off. She couldn't form words.
Rosie dropped to her knees. And then, in the darkness of the stables….she finally broke.
Her sobs echoed throughout the stable as her body shook. Rosie clamped a hand over her mouth, tears streaming down her face. The Pegasi were shocked into silence.
Will started forward with concern, as Nico quickly blocked his path with his arm.
"I got it," he said quietly.
Nico walked up to her slowly, kneeling down to her level. Wordlessly, he pulled her closer, as Rosie sobbed into his shirt.
"I know," he murmured quietly, stroking her hair. "I know."
She was embarrassed the next day- completely embarrassed. She didn't want people to see her weakness- she wanted to tuck the ugliness away. Luckily, neither of them brought the ugliness up.
She was rock bottom, sure. But she had to go up at some point, right?
She could move on. She could do it. She needed to be kind enough to give herself time.
So, for now, she was going to enjoy her friends. That night, they all huddled around the campfire, roasting marshmallows. Everyone was there- her, Will, Nico, CJ, Julia, Austin, Kayla Nyssa, Will, Jake, and Harley.
Rosie rolled her eyes at CJ as he tossed another marshmallow at her, it bouncing right off her nose.
"Terrible aim."
CJ laughed. "Shut up."
She looked around the fire, at the faces of her friends. She was so grateful to have them, so grateful that they weren't afraid of her grief, that they embraced it.
Nico nudged her, handing her another graham cracker. "Have another one."
"Yes, sir."
Will was strumming his ukulele, as Kayla from his cabin sang along.
Julia suddenly sat up. "Guys, shut up for a sec."
"Here we go again," Jake muttered.
"Stop trying to prank us, Feingold, it's getting old," Nico complained.
"I'm serious- listen."
Everyone fell into an uneasy silence.
She heard it- a rustling from the forest.
Her hands automatically went to her dagger, attached to her belt. She saw everyone else similarly reach for their weapons.
Will was looking wildly out of place with his instrument.
"Now….nobody panic," he said gently.
Rosie and Nico exchanged looks, as the noise was getting closer.
Something sleeps in the forest
The trees parted, as the group took a collective breath in.
"What the-" Nico began.
A teenager stumbled out of the forest, a small girl following clumsily right behind him. The teenager was gangly and acne ridden, looking like he wasn't in control of his limbs. The girl was younger- 12, maybe?
The gangly boy was panting, looking delirious and in pain. His eyes laser focused onto Rosie, lighting up with recognition.
Shit- that was never good.
"Oh, thank the gods!" He exclaimed, out of breath, throwing his head back with a relieved grin. "It's you!"
He let out a laugh, before passing out.
She should've left when she had the chance.
