Hey guys! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, it's the close of the Luke-Thalia section of the Minific I'm afraid. Also, I gotta say, I loved writing their growing friendship because I do quite like the angst but I love writing supportive friendship and relationships- big believer in communication right here. And I gotta say Thalia handles it pretty well in this.

There was a long silence, and Luke was trembling at the painful realization. It made him feel sick. He'd have hurt his little sister- except she wouldn't be his sister she'd just be his enemy. It was unthinkable, there being a world in which he could do that.

What would have happened to him to have led him to becoming that? What could have driven him to be a monster like that

"She said you've been tied to Percy from the beginning right?" Thalia asked quietly, "That sounds pretty important. But I guess it doesn't change anything really." Luke felt a hand resting on his shoulder gently and he slowly lifted his head, a frown on his lip.

"It doesn't change anything?" his voice was hoarse, confused, "What do you mean it doesn't change anything?"

"Well." Thalia shifted under his narrowed eyes. "I mean, what might have been doesn't change what is. Whatever she saw- if it was visions or something... whatever it was..
you won't do now." she said it as if it was the simplest thing in the world. And Luke's brows furrowed.

"Thalia-"

"No, no hear me out." she held up a hand quickly. "Before you go biting my head off just let me speak okay? So whatever she saw back then was bad, I get that. But then Sally came and her visions changed right? That's why- she gave you away, right?"

"I-" Luke hesitated before nodding slowly. "I guess. She said back then that she was saving me." he admitted, "She told mom to save me."

"Well whatever would have happened has changed- and it won't happen now because somehow the fates decided to give you a chance. Dwelling on what might have been if
you were never adopted isn't going to have an effect on what actually happened is it?"

"No-"

"And you're a good person Luke. I don't know what you'd have been like if you had to stay in that house- it could probably drive you over the edge, I don't know. But it must have been really bad- way worse than my mom and I never thought I'd say that. But the thing is you didn't have to stay there. You were rescued- not that that's the right word but you know what I mean."

"Yeah-"

"So whatever you might have become, you're not that now. Right now you're a good person Luke, you're a damn good big brother, you're brave, you do what you think is right and you're a real hero- I have to say seeing you flying up into view carrying Percy like that is an image that'll stick with me for the rest of my life. You looked like a superhero."

Luke's face flushed slightly and he let out a weak laugh, "You really think it doesn't matter?"

"I do. What might have been isn't going to change anything Luke. It's what happens now that matters." she squeezed his shoulder gently.

"I-" Luke swallowed hard before he let out a breath and nodded, "You're right." he gave a very weak smile, "I think you're right-"

"Of course I am." Thalia elbowed him lightly, "Never doubt me Jackson, or I'll beat you up-"

"Is that just your automatic response to everything?" Luke raised an eyebrow, clearly forcing back a laugh at Thalia's words, "Just to threaten to beat people up-"

"Hey if it works it works, don't judge." Thalia tilted her head up to look at the sky. "And it did work-"

"Yeah. Yeah it did." Luke nodded. "I feel a lot better than I did- not perfect don't get me wrong but... I'm better than I was." he combed his fingers through his hair again.

"That.. that really shook me up." he paused, "I- gods I just ran out- she'll be freaking out I don't- I can't go back there."

"I calmed her down before I followed you." Thalia flushed at the surprised look he gave her. "Of course I calmed her down- I figured you wouldn't want her left upset like that. Clearly you do love her-"

"I do." Luke nodded, "It's not her fault." his voice was soft and his brows furrowed, "It- it's not her fault that she's like that. And she does love me. If she didn't then she wouldn't have sent me away the way she did."

"Exactly." Thalia shifted, "I figured you'd be upset if she came running after you and got hurt. I managed to get her sat down and calmed and I told her I'd look after you."

"I guess I'm in good hands then." Luke let out a slow breath. "I can't go back there. I can't Thalia-"

"That's fine." Thalia said smoothly, "What do you wanna do now?"

"I don't know."

"Well." Thalia looked around, "Anywhere we can eat around here?"

"I don't really remember." Luke admitted, "I was only seven. Though... I think I used to play here as a kid." he looked around slowly, a faint frown on his lips.

"Makes sense, if I was you I'd have snuck off to the park to get away."

"Yeah." Luke's voice was very soft as he looked around before a slow gentle smile spread across his lips. "Yeah I do remember this place now." he pressed his hand to the wood of the bench.

"What's with that look?" Thalia's voice was curious, "You look real thoughtful."

"The first day I met mom, after she ran out of the house with me, she just picked me up and carried me away and she didn't stop or talk much until she found somewhere for us to sit. She was really heavily pregnant, I dunno how she carried me like that but she did."

"Your mom's badass." Thalia remarked softly, "Just saying-"

"Yeah, she really is." Luke let out a breath. "I begged her not to send me back. I remember how warm she was when she hugged me- mom feels safe- I know that probably doesn't make much sense but she does. Ever since the day I met her... nothing has ever felt safer to me than when she's hugging me. She was so kind. Back then she didn't have a plan or anything, Lord Poseidon was giving her some gifts to help with Percy when she was born but he had to keep his interference even more limited than my dad did. She wasn't able to work because of how heavily pregnant she was. She had no job, no plans no way to know what would happen in the future but she took me in anyway even though she knew she probably couldn't afford me. And even if dad didn't help us she'd have found a way to make it work because that's what she does. Mom is the most loving person I've ever known."

"Yeah, I could tell that." Thalia let out a breath. "So what do we do now?"

"I don't know." Luke admitted, "We could go back to Camp, could visit some more places, there's a lot we could still see-"

"I think I'd like to travel more." Thalia said slowly, "Don't get me wrong I like camp but... there's something about the freedom of wandering."

"True." Luke hummed, "I get why my dad likes it so much-"

"He's literally the god of travellers of course you get it." Thalia looked like she wanted to laugh, and she rolled her eyes, "So, where to next Jackson?"

"Hm." Luke looked thoughtful "What about wherever the wind takes us-"

"That is so cliché it's not even funny." Thalia deadpanned, "Seriously Luke that was weak-"

"Oh shut up Thal's." Luke shoved her lightly, "You shouldn't be mean to me I've had a hard day-"

"Hah." Thalia laughed, "We both know I'm not nice Jackson."

"Nope, you're clearly pure evil." Luke deadpanned, "An evil monster, clearly. Because someone who isn't nice would definitely pretty much adopt a seven year old and sacrifice their life to save her-"

"I- I can't even argue with that." Thalia gave him a little glare, "Okay so I can be soft sometimes but only very rarely." she shook her head before pausing. "I still can't believe that you were the boy that day in the park-"

"So Percy and Annabeth told you about that huh?"

"Yeah, it's a cute story-"

"Yeah looking back on it maybe." Luke grimaced, "Not a fun story to look back on though, I gotta say."

"Yeah, I guess not." Thalia frowned, "I remember seeing you- didn't think much of it, I noticed your sword but all I cared about was grabbing Annabeth and getting her out of there. I kinda wish I'd stayed now."

"Who knows what would have happened." Luke leaned back slightly "Mom would have probably tried to adopt you both-"

"Yeah, that does seem like her." Thalia laughed, shaking her head, "I remember Leo's reaction when she told him she wanted to adopt him-"

"We're pretty lucky Percy was there or he'd have burned down half of camp." Luke snorted. "He was so happy."

"Of course he was." Thalia shrugged, "Poor kid's foster parents didn't even care that he went missing when Chiron contacted CPS."

"Well he's got a home now." Luke hummed, "And... I do think that it's what I want to do. If I work in the system I can help all kinds of kids but I can specifically look for demigod kids to help."

"It would be good if there was someone looking out for us there." Thalia's voice was soft. "And you are great with kids. It really would be perfect for you Luke."

"Let's deal with the whole Alabaster mess and then we'll see what we can do about me going to college-"

"At least you have a plan." Thalia snorted, "I still don't know what I want to do-"

"You have some time to figure out what you want to do." Luke met her gaze, a gentle look on his face, "We can figure it all out together Thalia. If you'd like."

"I-" Thalia hesitated, staring at Luke for a long moment before a soft smile played across her lips and she nodded, moving her hand from Luke's shoulder to grasp his hand,
"You know what I actually kinda like the sound of that Jackson."

"We do make a pretty good team."

"We do don't we?"

And it might be new and fragile, but as they both met each others eyes, they knew that there was something starting. And with time just maybe it could be something great.