It was four months after it happened, when Casey finally got another quest. It was a small quest, no prophecy. But to Casey, it was a big deal. She'd overheard Chiron mention that there was a need for a quest to be issued, and she didn't even know what the problem was when she volunteered. Besides Casey, Katrina Grace also said she'd go. Last to join their trio was Rose Underwood. She claimed to go so she could sense when monsters were nearby, but really it was to keep an eye on the still-mourning Jackson.

"I don't need your protection," Casey joked.

Rose smiled, crossing her arms and adjusting the rasta cap on her head. The cap had been a present from Grover when she was titled a protector a few years earlier. "Ah, but isn't that just what Jacksons and Underwoods do?" she said with a smirk.

Casey grinned. "We'd love to have you come."

All was going well and the girls were all packed and ready to go by the time Percy and Annabeth found out about their plan.

"No," they quickly decided.

Casey felt herself deflate. "What? Why not?!"

"It's unsafe! And Casey, you've never been on a quest without…" Annabeth trailed off when the conversation reached the topic of her eldest son.

"Without Jase? Yeah, I know. But if that's your only reason then you might as well keep me forever because he isn't coming back!" Casey yelled.

Neither of her parents answered. Everybody close enough to hear went silent.

"Cas-"

"I'm going. It's just some low-life stealing supplies. I'll be fine. I promise to Iris Message if something goes wrong. I love you." With that, Casey pulled her backpack over her shoulder and ran to catch up with Kat and Rose, who were already waiting at the border. Casey didn't regret what she'd said. She was angry at Jase for leaving her alone in this gods-forsaken world. Going on this quest was her way of saying I don't need you to the one person she needed most.

"How'd your parents take it?" Rose asked.

Casey shrugged. "They'll get over it." She took a deep breath and stepped across the border. She was more nervous than she looked. As her mom had reminded her, Casey had never been on a quest by herself. But that was kind of the point. She wanted to prove that she didn't need him, even though she'd give anything to have him back.

"So should we take a bus to the New York harbour? The last robbery took place on Mill Rock island, so we'll need to go by boat from there," Kat said, cringing slightly. Like her dad, Katrina Grace wasn't the biggest fan of boats.

"Does anybody have a bus pass?" Rose pointed out.

"Oh, I do!" Casey blurted, digging in her bag for her wallet. She stopped when she pulled the pass out. It was her brother's. Jase's name was printed in small, neat letters on the back of the pass. He gave it to her so she could use it to go to the library.

There was silence for a few seconds. "Why don't we just get a taxi?" Kat suggested.

Casey nodded. "That's probably a good idea."

So Rose took out her phone and quickly called a taxi to pick them up on the road at the base of Half Blood hill.

"Now we should get going before a monster picks up on our call," Casey said. The other two agreed and they hurriedly made their way through the dense forest surrounding the camp.

While waiting, they practiced sword fighting and made a plan of action. Kat and Rose fought while Casey got a notebook out and jotted down notes and ideas. Jase always did that, so Casey was too. She didn't know what Jase wrote down. There wasn't really much to plan out at this point. Get a boat, go to Mill Rock, get rid of bad guys.

"Jackson, the taxi's here!" Rose called. She was almost a foot taller than Casey and Kat, so she almost always noticed these types of things first.

Casey gather her things and joined her friends in standing on the side of the road. The taxi slowed as if wasn't sure if it were in the right place. Kat waved, signaling him to stop.

"Hi! I'm Rose, this is our taxi?" Rose hinted, sticking her head through the window.

"Oh, yes! Of course. Any bags I can help you girls with?" The man asked, instantly softening his voice. Casey roller her eyes and hopped into the backseat.

"No thank you. We'd like to go to New York Harbour," Kat said. She didn't need charmspeak to get the driver to agree. All she needed was to show her credit card, "accidentally" advertising the signature at the bottom (Tristan McLean).

Casey had never seen such a friendly taxi-driver. He looked mainly at Kat when he spoke, taking quick glances at the wallet in her hands. Casey mostly ignored the driver. She couldn't help but imagine Jase's reaction if he would have seen the way the taxi driver was eyeing them. The ride was long and boring. Casey didn't want to talk about the quest with a mortal so close, but she couldn't think of anything else to talk about either.

"So, how did Adora react when you told her you were going on a quest?" Kat asked, pulling a stick of beef jerky from her bag.

Casey felt her chest tighten. "Shit! I didn't tell her!" She felt guilt building up immediately. "Oh my gods, I forgot to tell her I was leaving!"

Jase always spent five minutes to say goodbye to each of his siblings and his parents anytime he left on a quest. Casey had been so caught up in being mad at her brother that she forgot to be like him.

"I can't believe I forgot!"

"Chill, it'll be fine. We'll just IM her when we get to the harbour. She was busy when we left anyway," Kat said.

"No you don't understand, he always say goodbye before he leaves!"

"He?"

Casey paused. She dropped her head to her hands. He. Her brother. Her perfectly perfect older brother who never did a single thing wrong in his life. Except for ending it.

"You don't have to replace him, Casey," Rose said softly.

"Somebody has to. Who else will tuck Adora in or help Dad make dinner or give us all rides to school or pick Oscar up after daycare or send Dad reminders when there's an anniversary or birthday coming up? The world needs Jason Jackson," Casey said.

"But it also needs Casey Jackson," Rose argued.

Kat was deep in thought. She knew Rose was right, but she couldn't help agreeing with Casey. Jase taught the swordsmen class for all the younger campers and was the go-to babysitter in Camp Jupiter. He was the only one who knew how to change the setting on the lava wall and was always willing to help kids sneak past the harpies at night to get to the kitchen for midnight snacks. Nobody else knew the secret orders at all the coffee shops in Camp Jupiter, or could actually calm Peleus down, or could get Casey to take a dam chill-pill every once in awhile. Nobody else could play a game of cards with Mr. D without wanting to chop their own head off.

The rest of the ride was silent.

AU: How do you think/want this story to end?