Okay, lemme just warn you: This chapter is sad, guys. And short. (Sorry!) Anyways, either way, I hope you enjoy. :)
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the PJO characters! All credit goes to my hero, Rick! (Jk, he's such a troll.)
Percy's POV:
We leave exactly at noon, as I promised to Reyna.
I head out of my barrack with Leo, Piper, Hazel, and Frank behind me. Jason lingers behind us. "So how are we going to get around, exactly?" Leo wonders aloud.
I frown. "I don't know," I admit. "I kind of didn't think I'd end up this far."
I smile sheepishly and Hazel rolls her eyes playfully. "Well, I can get us a ride," Piper suggests.
"How?" Frank asks, and Piper giggles. "Charmspeak?" Piper explains, and Frank curls his lips onto an "oh" formation.
"Go for it, Piper." I say, and shoot her an encouraging smile. I catch her blushing slightly, and a feeling of awkwardness seeps through me. A sharp jab in my back startles me, and I turn to watch Jason who is shooting me a murderous glare again.
I shake my head, and frown.
I like someone else, I say silently through my eyes.
Jason's eyebrows knit, and he responds silently, Who?
I shrug and turn around, as if to say, None of your business.
We keep walking, and I tell the group that I want to go tell Reyna that we will be leaving. Everyone nods, and I run up to the principia.
I stop at the door, and take a deep breath. This is going to be anything but easy.
()()()()
Slowly opening it, I walk in to find Octavian and Reyna discussing some plans for something of the camp. Octavian looks up and scowls, while Reyna flutters her eyes to me, then drops them to her desk.
She looked conflicted and sad. As usual, I hated Octavian for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I longed to kiss her again, to make her feel better.
"Um, I'm just here to report that I'm leaving now," I say casually.
"Leaving?" Octavian interrupts. "Where? Have you even gotten the Senate's approval?" he demands.
I cross my arms. "No, I haven't. But this is an emergency."
I see Reyna scowling. "Yeah, you have to rescue your runaway girlfriend." she hisses.
Octavian laughs. "A daughter of Minerva, running away? How amusing."
I grit my teeth. "Octavian, if you don't want to end up in the Underworld, I suggest you shut up."
Reyna stands and her gaze is absolutely petrifying. She glares at me and says firmly, "No one is hurting anyone; not on my watch. You may go now, Perseus- I grant you permission from me."
Octavian opens his mouth to object, but Reyna sends him a glare so fiery, he gulps in fear and keeps his mouth shut. In any other situation, I would have laughed, but now I just felt confused.
Why is she so mad?
"Octavian, you are dismissed." she hisses, and he takes no time to gather his things and scurries out. My eyes follow him as he leaves, then turn to Reyna.
She sighs heavily then slumps back in her seat. She only looks up to glare at me, then flickers her eyes to the ground, looking distressed.
"I hate you for this," she mumbles tiredly. I frown. "For what?"
"For making me feel…" she hesitates. "…this way."
"Reyna," I breathe, walking to her, and picking her up. I wrap my arms around her waist, and she writhes as I do. She sighs sadly.
"I won't be able to do it, Percy." she whispers, pained.
"You will. Someday, we can be together." I whisper back.
Reyna cringes and I sigh. "Can't you just say it? Admit it once and for all?"
I feel her shaking her head against my chest. "If I do, Gaea will only use it against you- to break you." she murmurs.
I wince. She's right.
"Plus, after Jason, I just… I can't." she whispers, and I hear her sniffing, as if she's swallowing her tears. With my thumb and index finger, I tilt her head up.
"Cry, Reyna. Crying isn't a sign of weakness. I will never change my opinion about you if you just cry." I tell her, and she breaks into sobs.
"What if you don't make it? Maybe you will after this, but-but, this is a war against the giants, Percy! We-we might die!" she says between tears.
I hug the dark haired girl tighter.
"And I have all this responsibility on my shoulders to protect Camp Jupiter, and you'll be gone, and-"
I capture her lips in a kiss, and she kisses me back gently. Her tears roll down her face, and touch my own skin.
I savor the moment, for I know Reyna is right; this is war, and from personal experience, I knew some people you love might pass away. My heart feels like lead, and if I could, I would never let go.
Because I'm scared too. I'm scared of losing her; it frightens me right to the bone.
When we break apart, Reyna sighs heavily and pulls away from me, wiping her tears.
"Goodbye, Percy." she says hollowly, and walks out of the principia. She doesn't even look at me. And the old Reyna, the guarded, emotionless one returns.
I ball my fists in frustration.
This damn life.
This life that makes us grow up so fast.
Makes girls like Reyna, who should be painting her nails, going to the mall, calling her friends into a girl in the middle of a war, and her face covered with worried wrinkles, like she's a thousand years old.
That makes our love so unpredictable and sad, because we could die any minute, or loose the one another. We should be dating, going to the movies, riding in my car, doing reckless, stupid things- all in the name of love.
We should be together. She shouldn't need to put walls up. I shouldn't be scared to death of her safety and sanity.
This damn life of ours.
I run my fingers through my hair in an act of desperation, and bite my lip until I taste a bitter copper in my mouth.
I feel cold, so very cold.
I walk out of the principia and hope the mid-afternoon sunlight that beams down on my neck warms me.
It doesn't.
I gulp and walk to my friends, looking at me for reassurance. I fake a smile, and my friends smile back, relieved.
Just because I'm sinking inside, doesn't mean I'll bring them down with me.
As we continue walking, I notice how alive Piper, Leo, Hazel, and Frank look. How even when they know this trip is dangerous, they joke and smile. And then I know.
If somehow, I lose hope, or want to give up, I'll keep fighting- right to the very end.
For them.
For Reyna.
For all of us.
Because they are humans too.
Hope you liked!
Please review!
-The TimeMachine
