Chapter 16 wow how did this even happen? It was only just over a year ago that this story was even a thought. Nice. Well I'm done being sappy and feeling old let's get on with it. Remember, Jason and Piper have just walked into the cove.

Anyway, long time no see guys. I know I said I was getting back into this but a few weeks ago I got the idea to adapt this story and create my own world for the plot to run in for it to be my own proper story not a fanfiction. So none of Rick's world just using sections of the plot which is all from me so it's not copy right or anything. But yeah, I think you see where I am going with this. that story is taking full priority of my time at the moment because I am so inspired and I cannot waste the creative flow while it still lasts. I really hope you can understand therefore why my updates will continue to be slow and I hope you can forgive me.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own PJO that belongs to Rick (surely you know this by now?)

Reviews:

EmotionallyConstipatedOops: thank you for such a kind comment I hope you can understand my decision of slow updates.

Death Darkness and Riches: I know it was so cute! I felt so fluffy inside while writing it, no promises for this chapter though.

Guest: I would like to point out to you if you know who you are and anyone else that comments like this that it is not appropriate, I don't care if you do not like my story. Just don't read it. Simple. But the fact that you decided to use a homophobic slur is highly offensive to not only me as a writer, but me as a member of the LGBT+ community itself and in this day and age it is not allowed nor tolerated for you to behave like this. It is disgusting behaviour. And if you have that view, fine whatever just keep it to yourself thank you.

Tori Chase: I knowwwwww I love the ship too (obviously) but i just cant help but throw a spanner in the works sometimes. Hope you can forgive me.

Nico's POV

Oh no. This wasn't good. Percy wasn't ready for this. Not at all. Would he even know who they were? After all he wasn't exactly with them for a long time on the Argo II. I turned and looked at him behind me. Yep. Not good.

He was pressed into the rocks as much as he could and was as pale as a sheet. If the rock wasn't behind him I had the feeling that Percy would've been long gone. Oh gods this was all my fault, I should've realised that couples would come here. Idiot. It was too late now anyway I had to do something, Percy was looking worse by the second.

I turned back to Jason and Piper. They wouldn't leave I knew they wouldn't. Well, they would but they really wouldn't be happy about it now they'd seen Percy again. And maybe, just maybe, if I could calm Percy down a bit he'd start getting used to other people. It might be good for him even.

With that thought I nodded at Percy once before turning back to the new arrivals. "Hi Jason, Piper." I said awkwardly while moving out of my defensive position. "How's it going?" They both stood there for a moment longer looking at Percy behind me before Jason seemed to realise I'd spoken to them and diverted his attention to me. "We're quite good, thanks." He replied in the same awkward tone, glancing at Piper.

Luckily, the daughter of love knew how to get away from awkward situations. She shook her head at us and came to sit on the sand near our shaded area. "I just wanted to come here to show Jason how peaceful it is, it's a great tanning spot away from all the others on the beach." She explained as she took a towel out of her bag and laid it on the sand. "You two can join us if you want to." She offered.

I turned back to look at Percy, who was slightly less pale now but still determined to become one with the rocks. "Do you want to?" The son of Poseidon didn't answer exactly he just shrugged jerkily and muttered something under his breath that sounded like 'if you want to'. It wasn't an outright no so, even though he was probably just trying to make me happy, I sat down again on the edge of the shade. Percy figured we were staying as well at that point and slid down his rock to sit on the sand at the bottom of it.

Maybe this wasn't my best plan after all.

But I knew that I wouldn't get him to go past the two easily and they were both so happy to see him. It was probably just easier to let it play out now and pray to Zeus that Percy didn't freak out too much. I'd only recently got him to talk to me properly and he still didn't trust me, I could tell from the way he flinched when I got too close. Or when he panicked when he thought he'd done something I didn't like. It was only a bit of progress, but it meant the world to me and showed me that with a bit of time and care he might be able to be himself again – I didn't want to lose that.

"So what've you been up to these last few weeks?" Jason asked me. "I've barely seen you." I turned my attention to the Roman demigod. "I've been with Percy, getting him up to speed on everything that's been happening in the mortal and mythical worlds." Instantly, Piper interjected. "Did you tell him about the wedding?" "Yes," I replied, "I told him that you and Jason are marri-"

"No, no no. Not that, that's old news." She cut me off. "Thanks Pipes." Jason muttered, but she just ignored him. She was on too much of a tangent now to be bothered by his comments. "Have you told him about Hazel and Frank?" I shook my head at her, of course that would be the first thing that came into her mind.

She rolled her eyes and turned to the boy behind me. "Frank proposed to Hazel a couple of months ago, they're officially engaged." She enthused. "I mean come on, they've been going out a hundred years." I heard a little shuffle behind me and turned to look at Percy. "It it's about t-time then." He stuttered.

My heart swelled with joy. I was right, if I could get him talking to other people he'd get back to himself a lot quicker. Only a few people at a time, obviously. But after today, depending on how far they got, I could start taking Jason and Piper in to see him. I could see it in him finally. A real hope at coming back to us. To being the Percy that I grew to love and never really left behind. Despite what he thought.

"Yeah," Jason laughed "now we've just got to find Mr McShizzel someone. Oh and grumpy over there." I looked at him and shook my head. "Maybe we could get them together." He mused quietly. But, unfortunately, not quietly enough. "No, Jason. That is not happening ever!" I hissed at the Roman who held his hands up in surrender. "He means Leo by the way." I informed Percy who had shuffled away from his rock a bit to listen better. "I-I thought so." He whispered back to me. "What h-happened to Calippo?" I chuckled softly and smiled at him, at least he remembered her even if he got her name wrong.

"I think you mean Calypso." I grinned at him. "But they didn't work out because even though he literally died and came back to bring her back from that island. As soon as she got back she was enthralled by the modern world and set off the explore it. She also discovered minor gods and one thing led to another until Calypso chose one and left Leo heart broken." I explained sadly, remembering how broken Leo had been afterwards. He really was a wreck.

"So, Percy." The boy in question visibly flinched and whipped his head around to look at Piper. She grimaced a bit but tried to act like nothing had happened. "What were you doing before me and Jason came?" He looked at me nervously and I gave him an encouraging nod. "I-I was in the sea." He told her without looking at her. She glanced at me worriedly but continued her conversation anyway. "That must've been nice. Any good fish?"

"Yes." He answered simply. "Th-the little silver one w-was friendly." Then we lapsed back into silence. We'd run out of things to say. Although you can't exactly blame us it's difficult to talk to someone who doesn't want to talk to you.

Tension settled around us and the only noise was the waves hitting the shore. I realised that the sea should have been calm like it was earlier and it was probably a product of the son of Poseidon's agitation that was making it more violent. I looked over at him again. He seemed better than he was earlier, he was only just behind me now and seemed to be a lot less pale even though he was shaking slightly. I couldn't see his face to judge how he was properly though as his head was bowed and his thick black hair was hiding him from me.

While I was studying him, I realised he was fiddling with something in his pocket. "Percy," I said, breaking the oppressive silence. "what's in your pocket?" After a moment of hesitation he drew his hand from his pocket to reveal a bronze ball point pen. "Wait" Jason breathed "is that Riptide? I thought he had taken that." At the end he sounded suspicious, as if Percy had been and got it. I shot him a glare, he couldn't possibly think Percy would go see Kronos. Could he?

"M-my father sent it." Percy replied, still studying the hidden weapon. "He and H-Hecate managed to sum-summon it back." I tried to look under the son of Poseidon's hair at his face, it looked like he was smiling. Just a little. "Well, I'm glad you have it back. It'd just be wrong seeing you fight with a different weapon." I told him. He was definitely smiling now it was very clear. I suddenly realised that was why he had seemed so much better once he returned from the ocean. He'd got his sword back.

I was glad he'd got it back, it made him seem more like himself. And act more like himself as well, slightly more whole.

Time skip 2 weeks – Percy POV

"Check." Jason declared proudly. We were sat in the main room of the big house by the fire playing chess. It wasn't ordinary chess though it was a new three-way chess and had turned out to be one of Nico, Jason and I's favourite games. Piper sometimes came to see us with Jason or on her own but she played chess with us all once and refused to play ever again. She lost. Big time.

I looked down at the pieces, I'd taken out Nico a while go so that just left me and Sparky to duel it out. And it was getting close. We both had each other's king close to checkmate so there weren't many places left to move. Then it hit me suddenly I could see my winning moves.

Without another thought I moved my bishop directly in the way of his queen. Jason huffed at me; he'd have to go around now to get back in a few moves time as I had protected the spot with a knight. Predictably, he moved his queen around not noticing that he'd just left me the straight path across for my castle.

As soon as his finger left the piece I moved my castle into position and grinned "checkmate". Nico grunted from his chair "Really he won again. If you catch up to me I am not going to be happy." He then quickly rounded on Jason. "See this is what happens when you team up with him to take me out first." the son of Hades slumped in his chair and sent a glare Jason's way.

"D-don't be moody Nico. You know, y-you really are a sore loser." I scorned. The younger immortal set his glare on me but it didn't really do much when he was pouting like a toddler. "Cod l-lip." I pointed out. Jason began to laugh as he noticed the aforementioned 'cod lip'. I smiled at Nico but apparently, he still wasn't happy as he just turned and buried his face in the armchair. Which, of course, sent Jason into another fit of laughter.

I sat back in my chair and watched him taunt Nico. I hadn't enjoyed it at first, being forced to be around Piper and Jason they were too loud, too unpredictable. But the more they kept coming to see Nico the more I got used to them being around. And, slowly but surely, I'd got used to them - a bit. I was nowhere near as comfortable as I was when it was just me and Nico, but I'd say I was as comfortable as I was around Ethan.

They could be trusted not to hurt me at least, although I couldn't say that they still didn't want something from me. I was still trying to figure that bit out. No-one had asked anything of me yet. They'd just let me stay in this house, see Nico, Jason and Piper and go to the cove when I wanted to. But why? They wanted something of course they did? And - knowing the gods and my own history - it was probably something to do with fighting. That's all people ever want me for.

But I guess I'd find out eventually. I could burn that bridge when I got there.

I turned my attention away from my musings and back to the others who it turned out were now squabbling like a married couple. Actually, thinking about it, it was more like a mother scolding a child as Nico still refused to look at Jason. And Jason, being the mother hen he is, was packing up our chess game while telling Nico off for being a sore loser and that he'd just have to try harder if he didn't want me to overtake him. It was quite amusing to watch actually.

But then Piper had to come and ruin my fun. "Boys give up." She instructed as her way of greeting. "Piper, tell him he was laughing at me for losing." Nico whined at her like a small child. She looked between them and shook her head. "It doesn't matter who won or lost, all of you just pact up and stop arguing." Her voice sounded strange as she said it, melodic even. Instantly, the other two shot up and started packing away. That explained it – charm speak.

With a contented sigh Piper dropped onto the sofa next to me. "Th-that's a useful trick." I told her. "Yeah," she agreed "especially when Jason is being annoying. But my question is, why aren't you tidying? I said all of you." She looked at me puzzled, now it was my turn to explain. "W-well, when you're with the ti" I paused and took a breath "titans for a while you tend to build up an intolerance to s-some magics."

She just nodded to me and watched the others tidy. It did look like she wanted to ask more, but she didn't. Which I was highly greatful for.

Some things just didn't need reliving.

There we are. A bit of a short and non-exciting chapter I know but I needed a bit to show him getting better slowly and starting to interact with people normal. By the way Percy has been at camp 8 weeks now so he should be doing better, like I said before I hate rushing things. But don't worry the next chapter will 100% definitely have some more excitement in it. So, stay tuned.

Ok I'm fed up of saying it now and you all know it. Please review and help me if you can. Follow or favourite to get notifications. Now I'll be back at some point don't panic too much while I'm gone it shouldn't be too long, see ya.