I have been dying to do a short little story like this for a while and never got to it so… Hi! Set a little after TLO but before TLH.

Charcoaled Destiny

I stared in shock at the last of the burning cabin behind me.

Once sky high flames were now turning into a foot high pile of ash, and dead vines littered the scorched ground.

My fellow campers were trying to usher me quickly to the infirmary, but I refused to move from the very spot I was standing on. I resisted until the rest of my energy drained, and I crumpled to the ground half-dead.

I laid there as campers yelled out for medics. When Chiron and the Apollo kids came, I had already sunk into unconsciousness.

…

I came back from a dip in the lake only to see my cabin going up in flames. I tore inside to see my siblings dying.

"Katie!" Denniese screamed from under a bed.

"Help us! Help! Please! Anyone!" my siblings cried.

I stumbled through the smoke saving as many campers as I could. As head councilor, it was my job to get everyone out… Even if it meant I would die.

I managed to rescue Jack my second in command, but he stayed in to help.

I rounded up nine and went to the door as Jack rounded some more. We all stayed low as I twisted the knob. It was stuck solid.

I looked around and found a metal pipe. It burned my hands, but I held onto it and pounded the knob. One by one my siblings fell. Campers screamed for the naiads and Percy. There was the sound of roaring water, but it was no use. The fire had killed almost all.

The knob finally broke and I fell onto the soiled grass. Others tumbled out to, only to have one more breath.

…

I groaned as I opened up my eyes.

I was in the camp infirmary. Apollo campers milled around treating wound and others drank nectar and ambrosia, the godly foods.

"What h-happened?" I groaned sorely.

"She's alive!" I heard one person say. "Someone get Chiron."

"I'm already here, Will," Chiron said. I tilted my head to see him trot to my cot. I saw more faces than expected. Will Solace and his whole cabin, Annabeth, and all of the other head councilors were there.

"Katie?" Chiron asked. I tried to focus my eyes on him, but it took a lot of effort. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes," I replied though I think my other senses were the problem. My voice came out as a croak.

"Good," Chiron said. He looked at me thoroughly. "How do you feel?"

"I can't," I took a shaky breath, "focus my eyes. I feel charcoaled," I croaked. I sat up a bit and had a coughing fit.

Chiron handed me a glass of nectar. I took a sip and tasted cool, southern sweet tea filled with a lot of southern hospitality. It tasted like my dad's delicacy. I suddenly felt better.

"Ah," I sighed. I looked at Chiron again. I could see him clearly now, "much better."

"Good," Chiron said. He turned to the other councilors, "Annabeth and the Stolls. I need you to stay. As for the rest, we will finish this meeting later."

Everyone left to leave as I leaned against the wall. Chiron looked at me and asked, "Can you walk, my dear?"

I shrugged and swung my bare feet onto the cold stone floor. I was still clothed in my holey jeans and now burnt green shirt.

I cautiously stood up next to Travis and Connor Stoll. I was okay for about three seconds, and that's was when my knees fell out from under me.

I started to fall until Travis caught me and helped me stay up. I had always hated the twit since he and his brother pranked my cabin by putting chocolate bunnies of our roof- I couldn't believe he saw that as a joke!- but right now I needed his support, so I allowed this one time for him to hold onto my waist.

We stumbled into Chiron's office where I sat down. My forehead was beaded with sweat.

"Katie," Chiron started the hurt conference, "what do you remember?'

I told him the story: from when I was taking a dip to falling unconscious.

He stared at me with those ageless eyes that pulled every single though out of my head.

The Stolls and Annabeth were whispering quietly to one another. Even though Annabeth was three years younger than me, I had to listen to her most of the time. That goes to show that Demeter is probably the most minor big twelve god. I didn't know whether they were talking about the incident or what.

Finally, Chiron spoke up, "I'm not sure who caused the fire or why, but all I can tell you I that you are left with no cabin and… no siblings."

I nodded quietly. My siblings had been great. We always ha laughs terrorizing the Apollo guys when they were playing basketball and making the enemy itch into oblivion in the war. I was going to miss them.

My eyes watered, but I blinked back the tears.

"Thanks for telling me," I said quietly with my head down. My singed hair covered my green eyes that were most likely to be turning red about now.

"I have a hunch on who did it," Chiron said. "It must be linked to the disappearance."

"Who disappeared?" I asked throwing my head up, but one I said it I didn't need to know more. One was probably the most important person in camp not in the room. That's right it was…

"Percy Jackson," Chiron said. "I fear something wrong. I don't think there will be peace for a long time."

I nodded, "How long was I out?"

"Three days," Chiron said, but he was drowned out by the door slamming open.

Butch walked in.

"Sorry, Chiron, I didn't mean to interrupt," he said, but then turned to Annabeth, "The chariot is ready."

Annabeth nodded, "Wish me luck."

She walked out.

"Recruit mission?" I guessed. Chiron nodded. "So where will I stay? Hermes?"

Connor groaned, but Travis sounded a little excited.

"Is that why you wanted us to stay?" Connor asked. He was younger than Travis, who is nineteen like me, by two years, but they both were about the same height, elfish features, and curly brown hair and eyes. "Man, I thought we were special. All we're here for is cabin talk."

"Oh, shut up, Connor!" Travis said. "Continue, Chiron."

I rolled my eyes.

Chiron cleared his throat, "Yes, well, you will stay in the Hermes cabin for a couple of days, until the cabin is rebuilt. I assume you have one bed left?"

Travis nodded.

"Good," Chiron said. "I have the updated Demeter blueprints in the Athena cabin. I will run it by the Hephaestus cabin later. You may leave."

He walked out leaving me alone with the Stolls.

I sighed; this'll most definitely be fun!

I stood up stiffly and glared at the Stolls.

"Look, sister, we're not too happy about this either," Conner said. Travis jabbed him in the ribs. "Fine," Connor growled, "Let's go raid the store and get you some new things."

He stormed out the door. I followed with my arms crossed, and Travis closed the door behind me.

He and Connor walked ahead whispering amongst another. I really hated them with a fiery passion.

I managed to hear a couple of words such as prank, no, crush, and steal. I didn't know if crush meant as in love or as in die.

We walked to the camp store and I went over to my cubby in the back where my dad sent me stuff. Luckily, I had a pair of clothes and hygiene stuff. I brushed out my hair. It was choppy and uneven and went to the top of my shoulders. I bet it looked as if I dipped the ends in black paint because they were singed.

We went into the cabin and Connor and Travis gave a short and light hearted speech on no to prank me or else they would have to be the only one doing cabin cleanup.

Everyone groaned and started their talks again. I just went outside and walked around avoiding my cabin, the Hermes cabin, and the Aphrodite and Hades cabin. I sat at the fire circle, staring at nothing.

Finally, there was a big crash in the canoe lake. I saw Annabeth, Butch, and three other demigods crawling out and Will chewed them off about breaking it.

I sighed and went back to the Hermes cabin and sat down in the corner.

I was deep in thought about nothing when I heard the door open and close. It was Travis.

He walked over and leaned on a bunk, "I thought I'd find you here."

"Really?" I asked irritably. My strong feelings started to come out. "What gave you that impression?"

"I saw you walk in," he replied as he sat next to me. I looked away. He sighed in exasperation.

"Why do you hate me so bad?" he asked.

"The prank," I growled.

"I know the Easter bunny prank wasn't very nice, but it wasn't my idea. It was Connor's. Believe me I didn't want to do that to your cabin. It sounded humiliating," he sounded truthful.

"It was," I said. "You or Connor didn't stop it though. You can't take it back."

"I know we have had our differences, Katie, but I think we need to put it aside," he said.

"Why is that?" I raised my eyebrows. Was he actually going to say something?

"I liked it better when we were little and hung out all of the time. I really liked it."

Didn't see that one coming; I had totally forgotten about when we were little. I remembered running around camp at nine playing tag. Then thirteen when we chased after each other with swords laughing and smiling.

It all ended the day of Connor's prank.

…

I stood in front of the whole camp with my face red as the tomatoes on our porch. My siblings hung their heads as the Ares campers laughed, the Hermes howled, and the others whispering.

When, the crowd dispersed, Travis came up to me.

"Why, did you do it?" I asked humiliated.

"I-I didn't, I…" Travis tried to explain. I cut him off.

"I thought we were friends, and you go and humiliate my family and my honor! I-I hate you!" I screamed as tears stung my eyes. I slammed the cabin door shut.

…

"So," I said feeling strong warmth for him, "you want to go back to where we stopped?"

"Actually," Travis said slowly, "I was thinking farther."

I was about to ask what, but he kissed me.

It totally came out of nowhere, but I loved it.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he wrapped his around my waist. We slid to the floor sideways.

He held me so close as if wanting all those years without me in. I felt I could do anything.

I realized that we weren't supposed to alone in the cabin when I heard voices coming.

We slid apart and stared at the door. Right as one reached for the door, I made vines hold it in place.

Connor tried to open it, but he vines were stuck solid.

"Not cool, Katie!" he yelled.

I smiled bigger and looked at Travis, "Where were we?"

He smiled as I pulled him in this time.

The sound of the banging doors and the lake commotion, the thought of the world, and almost my family faded away.

Finally, he pulled away smiling big.

"Open the door," he said. Sadly, I did, but that still didn't change a thing.

I was in love with Travis Stoll.

Review Please!