Hey, Everyone!

Okay, so as I said at the end of the chapter before this, I'm going to a concert at a local high school, so I don't have long!

Enjoy!

Chapter 19

Hazel

Hazel didn't like torturing the pig.

Not one bit.

But if she was going to find Nico, then she had to do it.

So it wasn't bad, right?

No, it's not, she told herself.

She watched Leo run off to tell Jason and Frank her idea, and as soon as he was gone, she turned back to look at the squealing, jumping pig.

She was very angry at the pig, suddenly, for taking her brother away.

"You'd better take us to where we want to go," Hazel shouted to it. "We didn't tie you up there for nothing, but if it turns out we did, I'll eat you for dinner!"

She started pacing the deck, with no anger left to take out on the pig. And besides, Hazel thought, it wasn't even the pig's fault, anyway.

She stopped pacing as she heard footsteps approaching and turned to see Jason, Frank, and Leo coming from below deck.

"You didn't have to stay up here," Frank told her as Leo walked off to start to ship. "You could have come down with us."

Hazel shook her head. "I didn't want to."

She wasn't going to tell Frank about her talk with Sammy.

Or, anyone, for that matter.

Especially not Leo.

"So, what did I miss below deck, anyway?" she asked.

"We talked about throwing Leo overboard," Frank said. "But we decided it was best not to; he's the only one who knows how to run the ship."

"Haha," Hazel said and shoved her boyfriend playfully.

He laughed and gave her a hug.

The ship lurched forward suddenly and Frank almost fell on top of Hazel and crushed her, but they righted themselves and pulled apart.

And then they were on the move.

Jason walked up to them. "We had a really nice day today, guys."

"Um, I have a question," Frank said. "Where's Piper?"

Jason laughed. "Oh, um, well…you know she was in one of her…moods today, so she decided to stay in her cabin and stuff. She took a few naps and stuff. Don't worry, though, she was entertained."

Hazel nodded.

Figures, Hazel thought.

"Well," Jason said as Leo walked over. "I think it's time to sleep."

"Why?" Frank asked.

Hazel did a mental face palm. He just set himself up.

"Maybe because it's dark out, Frank, and we can't see as well in the dark," Leo started. "And, we need sleep in order to keep fighting. So, we take the time where we can't see as well and we use it to sleep. Does that make sense now?"

Frank glared at Leo, his eye glinting in the growing moonlight, and he looked as if he wanted to punch him.

Instead, he grabbed Hazel's arm and walked below deck, practically dragging Hazel behind him.

"What is that guy's deal?" Frank huffed as they stopped in front of Hazel's cabin.

"I don't know," Hazel sighed. "But why don't we sleep and just forget about it, okay?" she kissed his cheek.

Frank nodded, still frustrated. "Alright."

She opened her cabin door, and he said, "Goodnight, Hazel."

"Goodnight, Frank," she replied, and she stepped in her cabin and closed the door behind her.

She changed into pajamas and crawled into bed.

"Goodnight, Sammy," she whispered to no one, and she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Hazel woke up to the ship rocking like a hammock.

As she climbed out of bed she nearly fell over.

She tried to balance herself, but with the constant back and forth rocking of the ship, she couldn't see straight.

She grabbed the jeans she had been wearing yesterday that she had thrown on the floor and changed into them.

With nothing but the tank top she was wearing to cover her upper body and her feet bare, she left her cabin and ran on deck.

Frank was holding onto the railing and Leo was clutching the control panel. He had dropped his nunchuck and the joystick was pressed to the side.

Hazel lunged for it and picked it up.

The ship stopped rocking, and there was a sudden yelp coming from Festus and Frank shouted, "PIPER!"

Hazel looked over just in time to see Piper, who had been, for some reason, standing on Festus's head, topple over the side.

Hazel thought she had just killed Piper when Jason suddenly appeared by the ship's railing with Piper in his arms.

They landed gracefully on the deck and Jason put Piper down.

"What happened?" Leo asked. "Who stopped the ship?"

Hazel raised her hand. Then she turned to Piper and said, "Sorry, didn't know you were up there."

Piper nodded. "That's alright. Sorry about what I said to you before, by the way."

Hazel nodded.

"How'd you stop it?" Leo asked.

"You're nunchuck was on the group. The joystick was tilted. So, I picked it up."

Leo nodded. "I should have noticed."

Hazel shrugged. "You can't be on top of everything on the ship, Leo, no matter how hard you try."

"Sailors can do it."

"Sailors don't use huge warships that could crush four of their boats in a row," Jason replied. "They couldn't man this alone, either."

"But they could probably do better than I am right now," Leo sighed.

"Um, okay," Hazel said, getting slightly annoyed.

She looked around and stepped up onto the stair that lead to the control panel so she was a little taller than everyone and continued, "I'm done listening to this sad talk."

All eyes were on her now.

"Leo, you're doing a great job, because you're doing more than managing a ship, you're also figuring out the Archimedes's Sphere and keeping everyone in good spirits.

"Piper, I know you've been a little…shaky this week, but we're happy to have you back, and we're happy to know you're back.

"Frank, you've been like Jason's second-in-command for a while, and that's huge. Thank you.

"And Jason. You've taken charge while Percy and Annabeth haven't been here, and that's huge, too. We wouldn't have made it here without you."

Hazel looked around.

Everyone was smiling, and by the looks of it, feeling better.

"And thank you, Hazel," Piper said, "for giving us a pep talk when we needed one."

Hazel ducked her head a little and smiled.

"I think we're gonna get through this just fine, you guys," Jason said, forcing them all into a group hug. "Just fine."

Hazel laughed.

Jason racked his knuckles over Leo's head.

We're gonna be just fine.

Sorry about typos and errors, I didn't have time to edit!

Thanks for Reading!