So… I know I've disappeared for a long time—and even though it's no excuse—but I've been busy! Anyway, last chapter is up!

Post MoA.

DOES IT SEEM LIKE I OWN THIS? I AM A TEENAGE GIRL, THUS, I DO NOT OWN.

Falling, Falling, Falling, Stop

Chiron's POV

Chiron was slightly nervous.

Truthfully, there was no reason to be nervous, not at all, but Chiron still was. The Seven plus Nico di Angelo were landing at Camp Half-Blood—soon, and even though he wanted to see them, know they were alive, he wasn't ready; he wasn't ready to see any of them.

Especially Nico di Angelo, Annabeth Chase, and Percy Jackson.

They all three had fallen into Tartarus, the deepest part of the Underworld, and he knew they would be broken, a sight be didn't want to see.

But he couldn't leave—it would be too late anyways, because the Argo ll was already landing.

Chiron watched wide eyed as the trio he was nearly hoping to avoid climbed down the ladder. First came Nico—eyes even darker and emptier than before and body little more than a twig. Annabeth came next—hair even more tangled than usual and face hollow and empty looking; her eyes no longer held a light of triumph and wisdom. Lastly came Percy, whom Chiron wanted to see the least, and he unwillingly remembering a dark, quiet night years ago in the Poseidon cabin. Yes, he wanted nothing more than to avoid the broken, sad face of Perseus.

So Chiron was very surprised when Percy, who as a boy had told him that he had fallen before, climbed down the ladder and turned to the crowd of campers with a smile on his face and with his eyes gleaming wickedly, like something mischievous was crawling through his brain.

Like he hadn't just escaped with barely a thread of life from Hell.

That very much surprised Chiron indeed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Chiron was checking all the campers in their cabins again.

He had done this for years, and no one ever knew—except for Percy. He shook his head and walked onward, slowly nearing the cabin he had saved for last. Blinking up at the low, sea smelling cabin, he, again, couldn't help but remember that night oh-so-many years ago. Sometimes it felt like a dream, a really weird dream that showed young Perseus as a broken boy who could never trust.

But, he would remind himself, it wasn't.

Chiron continued to clop toward the cabin, already feeling the rumbles created from Tyson's snoring. He was nearing the steps, about to open the door, when that nagging feeling, something he hadn't felt since he had that conversation with Percy, blossomed in the back of his mind. Tilting his head back, he retraced his step till he could see the top of cabin three.

And he was not expecting what he saw.

Percy was sitting on top of the building, hugging his knees and slowly rocking back and forth. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be mumbling to himself. This was not the seemingly strong hero who had stepped off the Argo ll—not at all—but it wasn't the young, broken boy who had seen too much either.

No, this boy was… lost.

Chiron was about to call the hero down, when his eyes snapped open; he unfurled from his previous position and gave a sly grin at Chiron. "Nice to see you still check up on all of us." His voice seemed strange, but Chiron ignored it; he had finally realized that nothing the boy did would ever seem normal, even by the gods' standards.

"What are you doing up there, child?" he asked, motioning for him to come down.

Percy shrugged. "I was thinking." Then he dropped like a stone off the roof.

Chiron was expecting many things—mainly all including broken bones—so he was, again, surprised when Percy landed silently on his feet. Yes, Chiron thought to himself, I must stop making assumptions with this one. I shall never quite understand. He cleared his throat, tongue twisted on the words begging to be spoken, all of them questions. Then, so very etiquette of him, he blurted, "How are you so—so happy after just escaping Hell? Does it not bother you at all?" He winced afterwards, silently wishing he could take it back.

Percy waved his hand dismissively, and Chiron felt like a child, which was odd, since he was thousands of years old and Percy was not quite even seventeen. "You look like you're about to die," Percy chuckled lowly. "It's okay." He shoved his hands into his pockets.

Chiron repeated his questions, but much more put together: "How, Perseus? How can you act like nothing happened?"

Percy cocked his head to the side and rocked on his heel, his eyes fluttering closed once again; he breathed in deeply. "Truthfully, I have no idea. I guess—I guess I'm sick of all the falling and pain and I just want it to stop."

Falling. Chiron remembered Perseus mention falling before, but… he still didn't understand; he wanted—needed—to understand.

Percy smirked slightly, like he knew exactly what was running through Chiron's mind, no matter how jumbled it was. "Chiron," Percy started. "Do you remember right after I got Zeus's lightning bolt—that little conversation we had?" Chiron nodded mutely. "Well, I've fallen before, as you know, and I learned recently that falling figuratively and physically isn't all that different." Percy wasn't rocking on his heels anymore; instead, he was swaying, as if in a trance.

It sent chills up Chiron's spine. "But what was it like? Falling, I mean. Can I have an example to help me understand?" This whole thing was too bizarre, even for the old centaur. He was the one asking the questions, not the other way around.

Percy stopped swaying momentarily, more still than a statue could hope to ever be. "Do you know one of the real reasons why I despise Dionysus? Besides being obnoxious and arrogant? "

This was veering off course. He waited quietly, searching for a distant rumble of thunder—for saying Mr. D's real name and for saying that he despised him. There was nothing. Chiron gulped, his throat dry like sandpaper. "No. I had no idea that there was another reason."

"Because he's the god of madness." Chiron had thought that he was confused before, but now he was totally lost. Percy continued, "Do you know what it's like to be mad—completely and utterly insane?"

Chiron shuffled on his hooves nervously. "No."

Percy wrinkled his nose. "It isn't fun, I'll tell you that." He paused. "Getting trapped inside your own brain, not knowing what's going on, even though you're right there…" His voice rose, and his hands were shaking inside his pockets. "It just isn't fun." Percy slumped onto the ground, pulling his arms out and curling in on himself again.

Chiron blinked. Twice. He was insane? Since when?

Percy looked up at him with sad, sad eyes, eyes that shouldn't be on a teenager—eyes that shouldn't be on anyone. "It just sucks. Believe me, I know." Another long silence stretched between them. "And I was sick of it—being sad and alone in my own little world of depression. So, this time, when I actually fell physically, I didn't let it get to me. I won't let it get to me." He sighed, tilting his head to the sky.

Chiron was speechless. Yes, the little speech was vague, but he got the point: Percy was sick of all the hurt. At least, that's what Chiron figured that was the message; he wasn't absolutely sure. "So," he began, "you have 'fallen' before because of… madness?"

Percy laughed silently, swiping a hand through his hair. "Yeah. About every time it was involved." His voice was bitter even though he had laughed.

He waited patiently, because he wanted more than just madness. When nothing came, he asked for it himself. "But what does it feel like, Perseus?"

"Like you're in an actual hole that you can't ever seem to get out of, unless you dig another hole." Percy's eyes were shut tight, and Chiron could see his eyeballs moving behind them.

"You would be… trapped."

"Exactly. You'd be falling, falling, falling, falling… But now I've stopped. I've stopped falling." There was a victorious tone to his voice that told a story, if not the whole one.

Chiron stared. "You can leave that behind now."

"Yeah. Yeah, I can."

Chiron left after that, not thoroughly satisfied, but enough to not pry into Percy's life. It was obvious that that boy had faced challenges as painful and dark as Tartarus before, and so Chiron didn't mind if he kept them to himself.

He clopped off, already noticing the dim line of dawn approaching.

The only thing he wished for that very night and for many afterward was to know more about Perseus Jackson.

But oh, how he learned more later on.

And oh, how he should have left it all as it was.

So, so, so, so sorry for not updating sooner! I've had slight writer's block and tons of homework. (Who says the end of the year is the best time. 'Cause it's not.)

Anyway, last chapter up and finished… with some evil foreshadowing. Mwa ha ha ha!

And thank you all who have read this entire story! It warms my heart!

Review and favorite!

Peace and all that other stuff.

~XxxXGreek GeekXxxX

P.S. I've been thinking/writing a sequel to this, called "Through the Years". Basically, it's Sally's POV of everything her son has been through. Tell me if you're interested.