CHAPTER SEVEN! Oh right. Hi peeps. Now. CHAPTER SEVEN. And I'm really really really really sorry this chapter took so long but it's within two weeks so technically you can't complain. Can I just chat to you people for a few lines? Yes? Okay. So I have a friend who's in Europe right now and she's going to Italy and I asked her if she would bring me back a souvenir sword. She said no unfortunately. I was hoping for a Riptide look-a-like or something. Anyway, I really should be doing my AP Biology summer work right now, but I'm not because I had to write for you guys. Also, my account seems to not like me, because I only just recently got the reviews from the four guests who wrote reviews earlier, and that's why I'm writing. First of all, thanks for writing reviews, I really appreciate it. Second, more than one person has asked if she's the god of stalking. Uh. No. That would be creepy. And as for the guest who wrote a ton of ideas, I glad you put some thought into it, and one of them is part of her powers. You know how goddess can control multiple things? Like Artemis with the moon and hunting. Cassie is the goddess three things. One of them being shadows, so throw a party or whatever you want to do to celebrate. One down two to go. Keep guessing people. Maybe the next chapter will help. Sorry for the long author's note.

P.S. This is after the end of The Battle of the Labyrinth.

And one more big thing….. I REACHED A THOUSAND VIEWS. Excitement! Fine I'll let you read. Go on.

Disclaimer- PJO belongs to Rick Riordan, and so on.

Cassie POV

I sighed.

"Nico," I said, "You're the only one who can convince him to do this. The only one who can help him do it."

"But he won't listen to me!" Nico complained.

"Make him listen," I practically commanded.

Nico had changed so much in the past months. I had guided him at first, leading him to safe houses and training him. Although, I wouldn't always appear as a mortal, but when I did, I had slowly aged myself so I looked almost fifteen. At times I would simply become a glowing silver sphere, with little wisps reaching off.

During that particular argument I was mortal, but the anger was starting to show. Starting at my scalp, a darkness spread through my hair like ink in water.

Nico had never been afraid of me and the darkness I carried in my heart. After all, he was a son of Hades. Even now, when the shadows and dark seemed to hug to me instead of him. My hands were clenched and my fingers dug into my palms, drawing golden ichor.

At this point I didn't care if Nico saw me for who I really was. He had the best chance of understanding me. We were both wallflowers. Him, among demigods. And me among gods.

No one would ever write myths about the great goddess Cassielle. No one would ever build me a temple or shrine. Even those I had helped eventually forgot my name. Nico, Percy, even Thalia, were just apart of a long line of people who I'd help from the sidelines and be forgotten about when things turned in their favor.

The other gods thought that I was weak and useless; just a minor goddess. In truth though, they don't know my real power. Without me, nothing would live; nothing would survive in this ever changing world.

"I know you've had some tough times," Nico started.

"You don't know the half of it," I whispered.

"But you shut people out more often than I do." he continued, "Why?"

"Because I'm different," I answered, "Because no one will ever understand me. Not even you. Because I am the forever outcast."

"That's what I thought," Nico told me, "but they're trying to be better. The gods and demigods. You should try to."

"You don't understand," I said, narrowing my eyes, "They'll never accept me. Not just because I'm different. But because I more powerful than them. What ever they can do, I can do, for I am the shadows, and I see everything."

That's when I faded into the shadows, as Nico sometimes did.

The frustration was seriously getting to me. If Nico didn't convince Percy to bathe in the River Styx, then Percy wouldn't be impervious and wouldn't live to battle Kronos and the war would go sideways.

I groaned and laid down on the ground, not knowing or caring where I was.

This whole mess was not my fault, but here I was, cleaning up the destruction once more.

There it was. Phase four: fix whatever the hell the gods screwed up this time. In this case it was their ignorance. Not easy to fix. And there was a chance it wouldn't work. After all, they had ignored me for millennia. I wasn't particularly happy with Zeus' ruling style, but the Titan's would be ten times worse.

I closed my eyes.

Goddess don't nap, much less sleep. I was simply keeping a slightly mortal body in place while letting my consciousness float around the world.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, I felt calm enough to go back to my body. Not enough to go back to Nico, but enough to walk on earth again.

I opened my eyes to a concerned face. It was a boy.

He had windswept deep brown hair that was carelessly brushed away from his face and soft emerald gazed at me from beneath it. His skin was tanned like he spent a lot of time in the sun and outdoors. Also, his muscles rippled like he spent a lot of time working out. And from a guess, he would look about fifteen or sixteen. The best thing about him though, was that he didn't seem to care about his appearance. He wore baggy jeans, a worn pair of Nikes, and a blue shirt.

The thing about him though, was that I recognized him. And even better- he recognized me. Other than Thalia, which was a different situation, that hadn't happened in a long time.

He was still kneeling on the ground next to me, a grin spread across his face.

"Hey Cassie, long time no see," he said.

"Max," I whispered.

Max POV

"Hey Cassie, long time no see," I said.

"Max," Cassie whispered.

She had changed over the years, but I would recognize her anywhere.

"What did you do to your hair?" I asked.

She gave a little strangled laugh and reached up to touch the receding black streaks. She was still laying on the ground, but now she gave me a little smile, and there was still a crazy grin on my face.

I had gone for a walk in the woods just for some alone time. What I found though was so much better.

Cassie was dressed in all black: shirt, pants, shoes, and her black cloak, clasped together with a little pendant I had given her. That along with a silver bracelet on her wrist were the only things she wore that didn't have a dark color. Considering I had given her the bracelet too, I figured she must have remembered me. Well, that and the fact that she remembered my name. On the bracelet though, there was one charm for every year we had known each other, similar to Camp Half-Blood's necklaces. As I saw her laying there there were only three charms on the bracelet, but two more sat in my pocket where I had kept them for a while.

I remembered her. In fact, I remembered the first time we met. I remembered the last time I saw her. It was two years ago.

Flashback

Two Years Ago

The sun was just beginning to set on the camp's beach. Waves lapped softly at our barefeet. Cassie and I sat on a blanket next to each other. I was staring at her. She was staring out at the open sea. A single tear rolled down her cheek. Without turning towards me she began to speak.

"You know I have to leave soon," Cassie whispered, her voice hollow.

"We both know that's not true," I told her, "you don't have to go if you don't want to."

"I don't want to leave," she said, hugging her knees to her torso.

"Then don't," I said.

I wrapped arms around her and she leaned into me. The single tear still hung on her cheek. I wiped it away with my thumb and held her closer. Her eyes were still wide open, like she was shell shocked.

"I have to," she admitted, "If I stay here with you they'll know."

"Then let them know. Let the whole world know!" I shouted at nothing in particular.

"They'll kill you," she said in nothing more than a whisper.

"You can stop them. I know you can," I murmured to her.

"At a price," she said, another tear rolling down her cheek, "A price I'm not willing to pay."

"There's always going to be a price," I said, "Everything has one."

"You're right," she said, her voice void of emotion, "and the price to keep you safe is to leave."

"That doesn't mean you should leave," I remarked, "I know I can't change your mind, but at least give me this one night. Give me something to remember you by. And I'll give you something to remember me by."

I held out a little bow and arrow charm. The third addition to her silver bracelet. Cassie accepted it, grateful for something to hold onto once she left.

"I have something for you too," she whispered.

Cassie turned to me and pressed a small box into my hand. She looked up at me, and I looked down at her. Then she did something unexpected. She leaned in for a kiss.

Our lips met and the fireworks were better than the camp's Fourth of July.

She pulled her head away but wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me close in a hug.

"Goodbye," she whispered in my ear.

She stood up, her face wet from the tears that were now pouring down her face, and clasped her black cloak on. Her hands shook as she lifted the hood up and turned away, quiet sobs escaping from inside the shadows. Then she began walking, slowly disappearing in the air.

End of Flashback

Present Day

Cassie still laid on the soft grass. I still looked down at her, blinking away the memory. Two years. I had waited two years, never wavering. I thought of her every day. Missed her every day. And looking down at the longing in her timeless eyes I knew she felt the same way.

I was rarely surprised, but what she did next took my breath away.

Cassie wrapped her hands around my neck and pulled me into a deep kiss.

Enticing enough? I figured Cassie should have a love interest at some point and it couldn't be someone you know. Do you like it? Or not? Tell me in the reviews. Also, the reason she can sometimes be cold and distant is because of her past, including having to leave Max. For those of you counting, that's real tears one out of four. Tell me what you think. Oh and I'll try to update sooner next time. Within two weeks. But otherwise no promises. Sorry. Any questions or suggestions for the story?

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