AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys. I know I haven't updated in almost a month, and I am SO sorry about that. It's just I know where I want to go with this story, but every time I try to write for this story only, my brain freezes up and I have the worst writers block that anyone could have. But what I'm trying to say is, there are only a couple of chapters left for this story, I'm pretty sure of it. I'm sorry to all the people who have favorited or reviewed and likes this story but there isn't much more I think I can do. Thank you for understanding, and I am so terribly sorry for any let downs. I want to thank you guys any way for encouraging me to go on with this story, and all the people who have followed me since day one.

I'm not going to even ask for any reviews this time, I just want to let you guys know. Please, do ask me though if you are unclear about things.

I wake up with his dreaded name promptly in my mouth.

Jason.

His frightening blue eyes haunting me, even when I'm awake. I shivered, even though it had to be at least 80 degrees outside. Worming my way out of Percy's stone hard grip, I had made my decision. I had to get to the next city before he woke up. I couldn't and wouldn't let him, the only person I cared about, get hurt anymore. I've already left Thalia.

I slung an extra book bag over my shoulder, along with the extra phone and started walking down the highway, one foot in front of another. The wind blew through my tangled waves, and the sun beat down on my dirt-covered face. I turned around on one heel once again, to look at his pain-stricken face, and I knew I had to do this, no matter what the consequences are. It was worth risking everything to help or protect someone you love.

About a quarter of the mile in, I could feel my knees buckling. The sun had fully risen, and was now directly above my head, watching me trudge through the middle of nowhere. It almost seemed to be smirking, like it was enjoying my pain. Whoa, what am I thinking? How could the sun be smirking? I thought, scared at what my mind has come to be. The mind was a powerful weapon, especially when turned on it's self. What scared me most was... Deep down, I didn't know exactly if I could fight against it if it turned on me.

I shrugged it off and focused on walking. Left, right, left, right, keeping a steady rhythm with my feet. It actually worked, for when I had checked the map, I only had another quarter to go. I would have kept going, but I stopped when I saw a young girl, about my age huddled against a bush, trying to block out the sun. She was convulsing heavily, even though it was scorching outside. "H-help." She croaked, her voice cracking with every syllable she said. "P-please. I'm all a-a-lone and I have no w-where to go." She sobbed, tears pooling in her eyes and over flowed in a torrent down her cheeks.

Taking away the fact that she was covered in dirt from head to toe, she was incredibly pretty-which short, uneven, choppy brown hair, her eyes similar to a kaleidoscope. She was very slim, and had the body structure close to an anorexic. I ran over to her, and I swear I could feel my heart tug at the painful sight. She had an empty can of tomato sauce at her feet, but it seemed to be filled with garbage. Her nimble fingers picked through it, shoving any bits of food she could find into her mouth.

"Oh my God..." I murmured, shoving the pack off my back and dug my hands deep into it, trying to find the cans of food I'd been saving in case I had gotten hungry. I popped it open, giving her all three. "Eat." I commanded, taking out the bottle of water as I spoke, and watched her shove down the food as soon as she picked it up. "What's your name?" I asked gently, afraid that if I had even made the littlest thing to provoke or scare her that she'd run away, just like a wild animal.

Taking in another gulp of the water, she wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her shirt, which said "Standford Prep" across the chest. I gasped, looking at the logo and then back at her. "Piper." She finally said, finishing the third and final can. "Piper McLean."

"You went to Standford Prep?" I asked in terror, not believing that someone that had actually attended my school was now on the side of the road, homeless and vulnerable to anyone in the world.

Piper nodded sadly, her eyes started tearing up again. "I was just going home from school one day, a happy day actually." Piper said, laughing wryly. "I still remembered that I'd pushed away my food at the cafeteria, saying that I'd eat when I got home." She shook her head miserably, probably thinking that was her biggest mistake in the world. I listened to her carefully, taking in every word.

"I didn't understand it at first. My parents were furious; I was failing most of my classes, and they blamed that on my new boyfriend. They thought he was a bad influence. But I loved him. I loved him so much." She sobbed, wiping her eyes again with her sleeve. I felt myself tearing up and I let out a shaky breath, blinking back the tears. I wasn't going to cry. Not yet.

"I should have listened, but I was blinded. I was blinded by a love that never even existed. My parents told me that if I loved him so much than I should go live with him. I wouldn't have to spend my life with them anymore. I laughed in their face, thinking that they were bluffing." She laughed darkly, and the look in her eyes were almost murderous. "I didn't believe them until I was at the doorsteps of my boyfriend's house with my suitcases in my hand. And when I asked if I could stay with him... he'd slam the door in my face, laughing at my uselessness. He couldn't believe I'd be stupid enough to think he'd love me enough to ever let me stay." Piper concluded, letting a single tear run down her face.

"And I've been walking ever since."

I felt sick to my stomach. This girl, who seems to have done nothing was thrown at the mercy of the world, greeted with only bad luck. Well, I was determined to chance this girl's fate. No matter how hard it would be. I didn't understand why I should help her. I mean, the world never helped me. But there was something I saw in this girl. The same kind of hopelessness I faced when no one was there for me. The same kind of pain knowing that no one was there to help me back on my feet. The kind of loneliness I felt, thinking that I was all alone in this sick, twisted world.

Getting up and brushing off the dirt on my jeans, I helped the sobbing girl up with one hand, and steadied her when she almost fell on top of me. "Can you walk?"

Piper just nodded, but I let her lean on me all the way to the next city. "Don't worry." I whispered. "I'll make sure you are okay."

She grasped onto my arm, letting out a sigh of exhaustion and relief. "Thank you so much." She cried, not to just me, but to the world its self, and continued to limp next to me, as we made our way to Bradford.

It wasn't long until we reached the city and got a tow truck to go find where Percy's car had crashed.

"How much is it going to cost?" I asked the driver as we sped down the road. Piper was passed out the in the back, her head hanging to the side.

"Eh, about two hundred dollars for the towing, and around a thousand dollars for the repairs to the front of it, if what you told me was correct." He told me in a thick New Jersey accent.

I nodded as we pulled up to the place where Percy was waiting. He was furious-his arms were folded across his chest and his eyes were blazing with anger. Sheepishly getting out of the car, he ran over to me and did what I least expected. Percy embraced me tightly, so tightly that I almost stopped breathing. "God, don't ever fucking do that to me again." He warned me. "Why the hell did it take you so long?"

I looked back at Piper and he frowned. "Who is that? She looks like a freaking tramp!" He spat, clearly still agitated.

I sighed, not wanting to explain things right now. "She is not a tramp! Her name is Piper. She'll be traveling with us from now on." I told him confidently.

He raised an eyebrow. "Did we talk about this?"

I looked at the ground. "No. Not exactly."

"Then how can you be so sure that she won't tell the police or something? Or she might run away and get us all killed!"

"Look, I know she's a good person all right?" I argued with him, trying to get my point across. "She has no one right now. Do you remember what that feels like?" I shot back at him. "I knew how much that had to hurt for him, but I wouldn't give up. Either he was with me or against me.

Percy just stared at me for a while, taking in my harsh words then looked over my shoulder again at Piper. "Alright. I'll give her a chance. But if she screws us all, don't say I didn't warn you." He added, then walked over to the driver and gave him the money.

I came over to Piper and sat down next to her. I watched her shoulders move up and down as she slept and I cracked a small smile. I still didn't know why I felt so protective of someone I had just met, but maybe it was because I felt that she reminded me of someone. And that someone was me, when I needed help and it seemed like the whole world had excluded me. There was just something in her eyes. It was the look of hopelessness I faced when no one was there for me. It was the same kind of pain knowing that no one was there to help me back on my feet. It was the kind of loneliness, thinking that I was all alone in this sick, twisted world. And I didn't want to see another person suffer the way I did.

As soon as the car was fixed, Percy, Piper and I started down the road again. Percy had gained more trust in Piper, but never completely opened up to her. He'd treat her like she was nothing, as if she were a piece of garbage, even. But Piper never said anything about it. She was thrilled to be coming with us.

One night, I couldn't take Percy's attitude any longer. He was becoming a monster...he was becoming Jason. The look in his eyes were the same, and he'd spend his time alone as much as possible. He'd shut the whole world out, including me. We had made a campfire, and Percy was in his secluded tent as always, scribbling away. He'd never let me see what he was writing, or drawing, but I know it couldn't have been good.

"Percy, dinner's ready." I chimed, cracking open another can of chicken noodle soup.

"Leave it. I'll eat it later." He spat, waving me off.

I scowled. "What's happened to you?" I asked in a soft voice.

He looked up at me for a moment, that light in his eyes were gone. He was as stiff as a board and he had a rigid posture. "I don't know what you're talking about." He said bitterly.

"Percy...I don't know who you are anymore." I told him, tears gathering in my eyes.

He just stared at me, his expression blank. I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't take the lonely nights away from him. I couldn't take sitting out under the stars alone, trying to tell myself that everything was going to turn out fine, when they clearly were not. I couldn't take that look that he gave me, always stone cold. I grabbed what ever he was working on and tore it to pieces, stomping it on the floor.

The look he gave me was unforgettable. His eyes looked as if they were on fire, no traces of who he was before was there any longer. His nostrils flared and his muscles were strained.

"Do you realize what you've just done?!" Percy bellowed, his echo could be heard throughout the whole forest. "That was a map of where Jason was. I've been tracking his every move. And now, all that information is gone. Do you hear me? GONE!"

I felt my breath getting shaky;my throat was tightening too fast. "I'm sor-"

Before I could get another word out, I felt a sting across my face, and I flew back onto the ground, my cheek stinging viciously. Tears were now streaming steadily like a river as I looked up to the person I once loved. He looked exactly like him, but I had no idea who he was anymore. I couldn't comprehend what he had just done to me, but I knew one thing. Percy may have lost his temper. He may do things he deeply regrets. But he wouldn't ever have touched me. I watched as the stranger turned around and walked away on one heel. The Percy I knew was gone. And I don't know if he's ever coming back.

I'm sorry if it was bad, I know that it was not my best at all. But thanks for reading anyway. I really appreciate it.

Extra NOTES:

-Percy has changed because the pressure of trying to find Jason is messing with his head. It's turning him almost crazy, and he doesn't realize it.

-I know this is rushed, and it has many times shifts. Sorry about that.

-I think this story will only have 5 more chapters, max. Give or take.

Please check out my other stories. Those are the ones I'm going to really focus on from now on and try to expand my knowledge of writing on. Thanks. ~Chubbypandaz.