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"Wait!" a voice cried out over all the noise, and Piper had thought that it was Percy's, so she looked over at him, but he had his jaw locked and his eyes were fierce and steel doors to his emotions. She wondered what had him like that- maybe it was the fact that they have something nearly impossible to do, and if they don't do it, there'll be a war and kids will die and it'll all be her fault, and Chaos would hate her and...it just wasn't good.

I'm going to kill him, Percy swore mentally, his eyes locking on the lone standing figure on the other side of the dining pavilion, donned in black, and with a glint off his metal piercing. The son of a bitch. "I want to go on Piper's side," Nico announced and Piper snapped her head back to him, her eyes wide and with shock and happiness.

Hint, why Percy was going to kill him.

Bailey blinked as the whole pavilion fell silent and the tension was so thick that it'd take all the gods' powers just to make a dent. Obviously, the camp didn't agree with that, but Piper sure did. This was great! Nico was an amazing fighter, and they would stand a better chance this way! They might actually win some respect around here! Then she could hurry up, finish this, and then head off to Olympus, fix that, and then go home. Home. She had been away from home multiple times for long periods of time, but this...this was different. This was her old home, and her new home was nicer and she felt so normal and welcome there. She had friends and no one wanted to kill her, and everything was happy.

"Er..." Bailey said slowly, standing up straight again and looking over at him; he was raising an eyebrow and watching her. "Commander...?"

"Yes!" Piper cried and Percy clenched his fist, glaring down at his half empty plate. He tried to ignore the sudden rush of cold as Piper stood up and beamed at him. Normally, Percy wouldn't have any problem with Nico joining their team- in fact, a while ago, he'd been glad and welcoming- but that was before Chaos had brought up the fact that he likes Piper and the meeting between Nico and Piper earlier. When did she kiss his cheek? When did she throw her arms around him like that?

Chaos, this girl was going to be the only thing that could kill him.

It annoyed the hell out of him.

"What?" Annabeth demanded angrily, standing up as Nico grinned and headed over to their table. "That's not fair!"

"Why not?" Nico asked, shrugging as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I'm on her side because I believe her, so I should fight with her. Think about it, Annie?"

"So, what?" Thalia snapped, glaring her famous death glare at him, and he ignored it, taking a seat across from Piper who was beaming and happy to have another supporter and more help. "You're going to betray all your friends and family for her?"

"She was- is- my friend, Thals," Nico answered, rolling his eyes and Piper could've sworn she heard girls swoon as he flipped his hair back. She sighed mentally. Nothing changed. "Besides, Percy trusts her."

"Probably because Piper persuaded him to," Drew mumbled and Piper immediately clenched her fists and whipped her head around to snap at her while Bailey glared harshly at her. But Percy's hand was on her thigh, her skin, even though the layers of clothing, was on fire and she was gaining more heat than from sitting next to him.

"Drew," Percy spoke completely calm as he looked back at her. "Shut up."

Piper's jaw fell open at him. He wasn't looking at her, but his eyes were still fierce and not exactly cold, but not his warm kind either. His teeth were gritted, but his hand on her thigh was gentle and she knew that she could move it at any time she wanted. She didn't want to right now.

Drew looked offended. "Excuse me?"

"Shut up," he repeated, and everyone stared in shock. It wasn't unusual that he took charge or gave orders, but it was unusual that he was telling her to shut up. "All of you shut up. I don't want to hear another word about Piper, got it?"

"Why should we listen to you, punk?" Clarisse shouted, standing up with her electric spear in her hand as she glared over at the Chaos table. Bailey had sat down, but her hand, and everyone else's, were on their swords. "You betrayed us!"

"I didn't betray anybody," he sighed, annoyed that they still brought that up, and they didn't believe him or Piper. Didn't they understand that Piper would never ever do something like start a war just for attention? She didn't even like attention, anyway. And they all knew that. So why were they assuming that she was the one who caused this?

"Except Piper before she left," Nico said nonchalantly and Percy's eyes flashed, his grip tightening on Sam's leg. Gods, he was going to hit him. "But Percy's right. Piper's our friend, and you haven't even heard her side of the story yet. Isn't that cheap?"

"Cheap is starting a war!" Katie cried.

"I didn't start anything!" Piper said, exasperated, and annoyed as she tossed up her hands. Does no one believe her?

"Enough!" Percy shouted, standing up, and his voice was stern and it dared anyone to make a move against him. The tension was thicker than before. People listened to him, always, because they considered him their leader, and as much as that job sucked, it also got people to calm down when he needed them to- more or less, anyway. "No more talk until we find out who wins Capture the Flag. Got it?"

"Camp Half-Blood!" one Ares kid yelled, and Clarisse slammed her spear down on the ground to cause a nice, loud thud that echoed in the place. "Camp Half-Blood!" Another thud. "Camp Half-Blood!"

The campers slowly joined in and there were more stomps and fists falling on tables with the sounds of Clarisse and her spear, and they slowly grew louder. With each shout, thud, stomp, and slam, the fire changed colors and grew in size and Percy sat down, transfixed because the only time the whole Camp banded together like this was a war or when they needed real motivation. He guessed they had both on their side.

"We are so screwed," Naden pointed out to the others and Piper sighed, letting her forehead hit the edge of the table.

It was true. You can never beat a family bond that strong.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?" Piper asked Nico after they finished dinner and the Chaos cabin, and Nico, headed off to their cabins while the campers went to the sing-a-long to get their strategy and game plan straight. It was only Wednesday, so they had a while to plan. Meanwhile, Piper figured they should be doing the same thing, but this was more important.

Percy, who was walking behind a Piper who had just ran straight for Nico, clenched his fists in his pockets and took a deep breath. He hated Nico now. The little bastard was just...just...Chaos, he didn't even have a word for him! Bringing up the fact that he had ignored Piper before she left was just cold and it left a sinking feeling in Percy's stomach. Maybe Piper would finally remember how big a jerk he was, think he'd do it again, and then never talk to him again, or think that Nico was a better friend, boyfriend, whatever, and she'd start to hang out with him more and then forget about Percy-

No, he told himself, attempting to keep calm as he watched the two, Nico nodding, and tried to listen on their conversation. Keep yourself together, man. He knew he shouldn't care that Piper was takin' an interest in Nico because he couldn't control her life and there was nothing wrong with her getting old friends back, even if this guy was making her blush and laugh and hug him and Chaos, this was driving him crazy already.

"Yeah, what's up?" Nico replied, looking down at her, and with the moonlight on the back of his head, illuminating a little part of his face where his bangs were low on his forehead and almost covering his deep eyes, Piper could see what had the girls swooning.

She cleared her throat just in case of a squeak at the sight and said, "Thanks...for back there...you know, joining us and everything."

He shrugged as if it were no big deal. "Don't worry about it. I fight for what I believe in."

Piper shook her head and looked in front of her, holding one of her arms with the other. He was making her feel weird. "No, it's a big deal. I mean, you were a good fighter before I left so now you have to be awesome and we really need all the help we can with this, because the faster we do this, we could talk to them, and even if I don't have everything I'm going to say planned out, it's still a step- oh, Chaos, that's only if we win. We might not even make it for a second, and then we'll be screwed-"

"Piper," he laughed, swinging an arm around her shoulders, and she was glad that the night hid her blush. Then again...he was the prince of the darkness, so maybe he could tell, and why does she feel so nervous and weird around him? "You're rambling."

"I am?" she squeaked, her face turning a deep pink. Kill her now please. "Um, right, er, sorry, I just have a lot on my mind and I don't really have got anyone besides the ones who have to work for me, to listen."

He squeezed her shoulder, and her stomach suddenly turned into butterflies. What the hell was this? "Well, now you've got me, so you're free at my doorstep anytime, alright?"

She nodded breathlessly, her heart pounding. "Right. Okay. Sounds like a plan. I'll see you tomorrow then- you know to plan and everything?"

He chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Sure, Piper, see you tomorrow."

He walked off, and Piper lifted a hand to her cheek, watching him go.

She completely missed the figure who was standing a couple yards behind her, his jaw locked and fists clenched, but his heart in pieces.

No one to talk to.

She had no one to talk to.

She liked the kiss on the cheek.

She was nervous and flustered around him.

She wanted to see him tomorrow, and it obviously wasn't for her reason.

No one to talk to.

Why couldn't she talk to him? He was her friend right? He'd been there with her through everything and he felt like he could talk to her, so why couldn't she talk to him? Did she think that he didn't care, and he was only with her to save the world? Did she not notice that he liked her before he even realized it? Shouldn't that be a sign that she could talk to?

Taking a shaky breath, Percy turned on his heel and headed towards the beach. He needed to think. He needed to calm down. She was killing him already. It was like when Nico came into the table group, she had completely forgotten that he was there, and then she was all nervous and flustered around him and she was so cute like that, but it wasn't for him, and Percy never got one of those hopeful we'll hang out tomorrow, right?s from her.

Was he doing something wrong?

He didn't think so. He had held her when she cried, helped her with Jason, beat the shit out of him for her, and worked with her here. He hadn't left her side, and he was always a call away. But was that it? Holding hands obviously didn't do anything to her, or mean anything, and all those hugs and blushes. She acted like waking up to him in the same bed as her was the worst thing ever.

Percy collasped on the sand, and the moon was bright in the sky in front of him, the waves gentle tonight, while his thoughts were on the loose. He didn't understand. One moment, he thought they had something, and the next she was kissing Nico's cheek, and gods, they spent a whole five minutes outside her story talking, and he had been with her for weeks, and nothing like that from her. She reacted when Nico kissed her cheek, but never when he did, and why was he so unlikeable?

He wished Chaos had never brought this up. Maybe if Chaos hadn't pointed that out, it wouldn't affect him so much- of course, it'd still affect him, but maybe not this much. So this was all Chaos's fault. For bringing it up, for forcing him to think it through and realize it. It was all his fault that he was heartbroken, or at least close because Piper hadn't actually kissed Nico, and damnit, now he's got that image in his head, and fuck. Kill him now to get him out of this mess.

"Hey," someone said softly behind him and he looked back at the girl, finding Bailey walking towards him. He didn't reply, and turned back to the ocean. It was supposed to be calmning him, but that really wasn't working and all he can think about is how Piper hadn't even remembered that she could talk to him at any time because he cares, and not just because she's his boss or anything, but because she used to be his best friend, aside from Annabeth and Grover, and he didn't understand why she wouldn't think that she could talk to him.

"She trusts you out of all of us," Bailey told him, but he tried ignoring her.

It didn't work.

"She doesn't like people in her room, for any reason, and then you come along and suddenly you're allowed everywhere and anywhere- even her bed!" She sighed and drew random letters in the sand while Percy turned his head to look at her. If she trusts him so much, why won't she talk to him? Why does she think that she has to go to Nico to talk? "My room was being remodeled once, and she let me stay in hers," Bailey continued and Percy's eyebrows furrowed. "I'm a light sleeper, so I woke up when I heard Piper moving around a lot in her sleep. She kept muttering names, and most of them were Jason and Reyna, but there was a Percy, Leo, and Drew somewhere in there. When I asked her about them, she told me what happened."

"Are you trying to make me feel like shit?" he snapped half-heartedly because he deserved to feel like shit because of the way he treated her all the years ago. And this new soft, weird Bailey was...weird and honestly freaking him out.

"No, but unless you let me finish the fucking story, you'll continue to feel like shit," she shot back, adding a glare for extra effect and he snapped his jaw shut, looking back out at the ocean. There she was. Stubborn, stupid girl. "Anyway, when she talked about you, her voice softened and she was different from when she talked about the others. It was obvious to tell that she hated Drew, and missed Leo and Jason, but when she talked about you...it was like she really missed you. She told me how you guys were best friends during the war, and then how you immediately connected when you saved her from that fall off the Argo after Annabeth lost her footing on the ladder."

"This really isn't helping," he said weakly, his heart constricted.

"You are so dense!" Bailey cried, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation. "You idiot, she cares about you! A lot! She missed you! And after you met with her again, she came to me and she looked different. She didn't look sad or lost like she usually did. You've got an affect on her, Jackson, even if she doesn't know about it yet."

"All I've done so far is held her while she cried," he pointed out with a scowl.

"Chaos help me," she mumbled, rubbing her face before sighing. "Look, Jackson, it's the fact that you were there for her and that you didn't judge her because she still cared about a guy who was stupid enough to cheat on her and all that bullshit! You were there, and that's what she wanted!"

"I don't get the point of this conversation," he admitted, glaring at the ocean. He wasn't there for her before, and if he had been, maybe they would be together, and none of this would be happening.

"I hate you," Bailey hissed through gritted teeth before standing up and yanking him up his ear causing him to cry out in pain. "She likes you, dumb ass," she told him slowly and clearly. "She may not know it yet, but she trusts you more than anyone, cares about you more than anyone, and she's been acting weirdly since you showed up."

He swatted her hand away and crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to get his hopes up. "That doesn't mean she likes me."

"Fine, she doesn't," she said, and Percy frowned deeply. "Don't look at me like that! You didn't let me finish! And geez, wasn't that what you wanted me to say?"

"No," he snapped like it was obvious and Bailey clenched her fists.

"Gods, I really hate you."

"Yeah, well, the feeling's mutual."

She gritted her teeth. "Are you going to let me finish now?" He stayed quiet because this was her best friend, and he wanted to hear what she had to say even if it was completely ridicilous because how could Piper like him? Still, he wanted to know. "Okay," she said with relief in her voice. "Now, as I was saying, she doesn't like you yet. You didn't realize you had feelings right at the beginning, did you? No. So it'll take some time for her, and you just got to wait."

"How am I supposed to wait and act like I don't care that she's so...girly around Nico?"

She crossed her arms over her chest, copying him. "Nico has that affect, and it's just a stage because a cute guy is actually listening to her."

"I listen to her!" he cried, waving his hands through the air, and his throat was dry and clogged. "Or at least I try! She doesn't talk to me and I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to do and it's killing me!" He took a shaky breath and started pacing in front of her, letting everything out for the past few days- stuff he didn't even know he was holding in. He pulled at his hair in frustration. "We haven't actually done anything but comforted and cried, and I sick of it, not just because it hurts to see her crying, but because that's the only way I can hold her, and that's fucked up! Adding the fact that she's been acting weird today, pulling away from me, it just doesn't make any sense! I know I treated her bad in the past, and believe me, I can't stop beating myself up for it because I lost her and now I might be losing her again, and then Nico's in the play, or whatever the fucked up thing we have is. I've got it bad, Bailey, and I can't help thinking that maybe...maybe we're just..." He rubbed his face, his voice cracking as he finished, "Maybe we're just not meant for each other."

He looked down at Bailey who was wide eyed and blinking rapidly. "Wow," she breathed after a moment and he pathetically dropped his arms because he felt like he was going to break down into tears or something. "You really love her don't you?"

"I don't know," he replied, but his voice was scratchy and he was confused, hurt, and desperate. "I just...I really, really like her, and I don't know what to do."

He closed his eyes for a few seconds to get rid of the tears and they opened when he felt arms around his waist. He looked down at the head on his chest and wrapped his arms slowly around her, nuzzling her neck and breathing in deeply. She smelt like apples. Piper smelt like flowers. This felt weird: hugging someone who wasn't Piper, and it felt like he was cheating her even though he didn't have her and she was ignoring him.

This was okay; he was allowed to hug other girls, and all Bailey was doing was comforting him. Even if she had a weird way of doing it.

He had gotten back under control when there was a cleared throat at the top of the beach. Percy was reluntact to let go of the only person who actually got what he was feeling, but Bailey just patted his chest in reassurance that she was there. They looked over at the person who interrupted, and found Piper with her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and her arms crossed over her chest. "Thought I'd find you here, Percy," she said cooly, and Percy's heart stopped. Why, of all the billions of people on Earth, did it have to be Piper who walked up to see him hugging someone else? You know, actually, he should've seen this coming. It was only something that would happen to Perseus Jackson, the hero of Olympus, god of heroes and a bunch of other shit, and the guy with the messed up love life. Typical. "But I didn't expect Bailey."

"I found him here," Bailey replied. "We were talking."

Piper snorted softly. "Talking, uh-huh."

"Why does it matter so much?" Percy asked as he brushed past her, adding under his breath, "You've got Nico to 'talk' to anyway."

Unfortunlately, she heard, and looked over at Bailey with confusion and hurt. "What's wrong with him?"

She shrugged. "We talked about the Capture the Flag game."

Piper studied her, hurt that Percy was acting this way and that her best friend was lying to her. And there was some deep pain in her chest when she saw Percy and Bailey hugging, but she couldn't place that, but she put that under hurt that her best friends were hiding something like their relationship, or something other than that word because it brought back the pain, from her.

Bailey smiled at her. "Then let's go to bed."

She walked back without looking back, and Piper was left alone, confused out of her mind and hurt.

That night, Percy dreamt of brown-green-blue-hazel eyes, uneven brown hair, flushed cheeks, and soft pink lips, and Piper dreamt of whispers, stolen kisses, and sly touches that weren't hers.

Neither slept well.

Okay, I know you all hate me for not updating, but I have a good reason, and it's the most hated reason in the world: school, homework, and classes all in one stupid big package. There's reasons for those things, but I hate them because they take up so much time. But I managed to get this chapter out with the Labor day weekend.

I'll try to get with fixing it on the weekends, but it'll take some work, and I don't blame you guys for PMing me with hate because I didn't update. I'm working, I promise, and the next one might be up sometime soon, but don't get your hopes up so far, please.

Um, well, we're at 380 reviews, which I think is absolutely awesome, and I love all of you who have reviewed, and I think that you should tell me what you think because, yeah, more talk gives me more motivation.

Next chapter: Capture the Flag and a little surprise after it. Next next chapter: a whole lot of drama. Next next next chapter: they head for Olympus. I'm excited for it, and I've already got everything planned out in my head, so let's hope I can work with it.

Now tell me what you thought. :)

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