I do not own PJO or HOO, rights go to Rick Riordan, duh.

Rachel's P.O.V.

I watch as Percy stumbles away, cupping his cheek and staring at me with wide eyes. His eyes, oh his gorgeous, sea-green eyes which are usually filled with the most joyful, childlike wonder, trust and love are now filled to the brim with betrayal, hurt, and disbelief. For a moment I can't believe what I've just done; what have I done?! I feel my face soften and with a horrified look at Percy's igniting eyes; I realize that he can see it. I squash his hope as I fix my features, I still have to- no, want to keep the pain to a minimum.

I try to think of something-anything else that could possibly break him enough to just let me go. Because even now, even after what I said, he's got something in his expression that tells me he's still hanging on to us. I rack my brain and come up with nothing. Then I think of when he held my hands to his chest, if I ignored the pain in my wrists, I could feel his pounding heart. What if he has a heart attack? I think dramatically. Is this stupid break up stunt worth that? No, of course not! I shouldn't even have to ask, let alone think about that. Still, this has to happen, it's my career, it's ours… I'll deal with us later; I can fix us, at least our friendship. I'll just have to be a bit softer.

"Percy, just let me go…" I sigh, knowing it's no use; he's always been so stubborn. Sometimes I think we're too much alike in that category for our own goods. At my words he seems to blink out of his shock, only to encounter more.

"No, I can't, I won't! Rachel, I love you. Please don't do this to us. I really- I- wait! Hold on, just a minute!" he seems to think of something, stumbling over his words in his mix of excitement and hope.

He runs back to our room and I take this as my chance to get down the hall and stairs. And that's as far as I make it as Percy hammers after me, landing in front of me wobbly as he thrusts out his hand, holding something that makes my breath hitch. A small, velvet, sea-green ring box rests in his shaking hand.

"Yeah, yeah I know we're young and all that but I was planning on spending the rest of my life with you anyway." I look up from the box in shock and I see his face is already bruising splotchy like in a border line hand-print/cloud shape. My hand print. How hard did I slap him? I swallow in guilt and nervousness.

"Percy, I'm sorry- I can't-" he cuts me off. Suddenly he seems to have given up all hope that I will change my mind. "Just take it, do whatever you want with it. It doesn't matter anymore, if you're not the one wearing it."

I flinch at the cold and stiffness of his tone as he drops the box in my hand. A brief wave of relief washes over me before it's replaced by something else. Something, a very small, hidden part of me, which was hoping he could somehow change my mind and make me stay. It makes me doubt myself for a moment. He walks to the glass doors and gazes outside for a moment before suddenly letting loose a muffled yell as he punches a picture of us hanging on the wall. I stare as his fist goes straight through the frame, then the wall, the picture fluttering out of its prison and landing on the floor. His fist seems to jerk back reflexively.

Percy stares at it a moment. "Well- Ow!" he says plainly, shaking off the debris. I feel my mouth is agape as he walks past me and sprints up the stairs. If he would've lost his temper just moments earlier, that could've been my face. But he wouldn't do that… After a moment of slamming doors and running water, I hear him let out a sob. In all the time that I've known Percy, he's never been one to cry if anyone could see him, even when he was young. More tears run down my own face and I clamp a hand over my mouth to keep from calling out to him, dragging my bags over to the door.

I look over my shoulder, even though- by the way the floor boards squeak over head- I know Percy is not coming down yet, before squatting and prodding through the bits of broken frame, glass and wall; finally pulling out the damaged photo. Of course there are digital fragments of this future-insignificant-moment-in-time saved onto my and only my computer, but this is the original. It's one of us as kids; we're on a public swing set in New- York, holding hands as we kick our short legs, trying to go as high as possible while staying at the same level with each other. We're both laughing like crazy and Percy's wearing his favorite orange shirt, if I can remember correctly, because really the only thing not cast into shadow by the slowly setting sun is our smiles. My curls are thrown up into the air, about the only evidence of which direction we're swinging, and Percy's swing is slightly lower in the air than mine.

I hear footsteps on the stairs and quickly straighten, pocketing the picture as I wipe my tears hastily. I turn to see Percy, his hand dangling limply at his side, blood curling around the knuckles and almost appearing to trickle up as if confused about gravity, and a back pack is slung over his shoulder. Suddenly I feel like the blood, confused about gravity and a little light headed as I come to the full realization that I've just rejected his proposal and ended us. Not for good though, right?

We stand in tense silence for a beat or two. It's so silent that I swear I can hear the tiny splash of a drop of blood finally falling from his heavy looking hand. Another drop of scarlet and he finally begins in that cold, stiff, and closed off voice, not looking at me. "I'm leaving town for a little while. When I get back… I'll expect you'll have taken everything you need."

My jaw goes slack and my eyes widen. 'He's kicking me out? No dip, Sherlock! No, but for real! Well you were leaving anyway. Yeah, but it wasn't going to be forever!' I have a mental argument with myself, trying to act like I don't realize it for the sake of believing I'm not crazy, fixing my expression before he finally looks at me. I simply nod. His eyes water, but they don't even bother searching my face before he tightens his jaw and yanks open the front door. He steps out and is immediately engulfed by flashes. I'm blinded and without thinking about it I look down at my hands, possibly drawing attention to the small box cupped there, over my aching heart.

Percy P.O.V

I step out onto the front stoop and am immediately blinded by dozens of flashes. They morph together to form an overwhelming wall of holy-like light and time seems to slow for a beat. For a humorous moment on my part, I think 'Wow, have I died and gone to heaven?' But no, if I was there, there wouldn't be this violent, ripping, burning sensation in my chest, maybe Hell? Mumbling profanities under my breath, I fumble in my pocket for the pair of sun glasses I'd grabbed while upstairs.

After placing them on my nose and collecting my senses, I realize there are about just under two dozen people, where earlier there'd only been half, if that. I consider taking my sleek, black motorcycle for the ride as I stuff my slightly still bleeding hand in my pocket (out of view from the cameras), but think better of it and make my way over to the large truck I'd left at the end of the walk. As I get closer more flashes go off, if possible, and I start to decipher what all of their rambling is about.

"Percy, is that a ring case Rachel is holding?" someone shouts and I bite the inside of my cheek, forcing myself not to turn and look at her. "Is this it then, Perseus? Is Perachel finally over?" says another. Finally over. What, were they waiting for this to happen? I must have said something of that manner, judging by how most of the flashes stop and hands reach for their phones, Ipads, or tablets, preoccupied with typing things out. I roll my eyes angrily as I hop into the Bronco, swiftly jabbing my thumb onto a button on the visor causing the gates to open.

Throwing the gear shift into reverse, I hear a few angry shouts, of which I ignore as I ram out of my driveway. I swerve around a few vans, taking one last glance at the over-dramatic scene left in my front yard. "That's private property!" I shout sarcastically, as if they care. I catch sight of Rachel's shimmering red mane as another flash goes off and I floor it.

So here's something... Sorry! Yes this chapter is short, really short, I just felt I needed to update sometime and I had this. I was going to add some more Percy P.O.V. but felt that could be a-whole-nother chapter, though I'm guessing that will be the next and short as well. I've got some ideas broiling about reasons why Rachel ended it, I've actually hinted at it but I'm not determined if I want that to be it so I've only done small hints so that if I change my mind the story can still sail smoothly. Um, sorry again and I should just apologize for my future self as well, my updating will be very random (I've added that to the summary), and the chapter lengths will vary drastically depending on my mood and such.

Please review, I understand if you're mad but now you've been warned. I love anything you say, constructive comments make me melt.