A / N: Hi all! I've been trying to make my chapter at least 2000 words long, because I was doing some pretty short chapters in the past.

Disclaimer: As you must know by now, I don't own PJO.

13

It was black. Then a flicker of light was seen in the distance. The sun, no, a torch. Someone was flashing a torch in my eyes, checking if I was awake. I blinked. It wasn't Jack, Leo or Audrey. It was Holly. I blinked again, banishing the spots from my vision. All the pain from my leg and ankle came rushing back and I winced, but then stopped, as it hurt to move. I sunk back into the impossibly comfortable mattress, and I let my head rest in the pegasus down pillow.

"You passed out," said Holly simply, pushing a stray lock of her fiery hair behind her ear.

"I know."

Holly laughed. "You've been out for about two days. It's six o'clock in the morning."

I nodded, and she handed me a glass of ambrosia and nectar. I sipped it quietly, relishing the fact that I was getting proper demigod medicine, and not mortal pain killers. I pulled up the fluffy white bed cover further up my body, scrunching the material in my fingers.

"Why aren't you at breakfast?" I asked, recognising the taste of Dad's popcorn in the ambrosia.

"Well, someone had to take care of you," said Holly, with a well-isn't-it-obvioustone. She looked tired, purple circles resting under her grey-blue eyes. She must have stayed by my side all night.

"Leo, Jack and Audrey all wanted to stay with you," Holly continued. "But I thought – and Chiron agreed – that the wouldn't be very good for your rest, and that you would get too excited. Chiron also suggested to do it, but he lacks a certain feminine caring attitude."

I gave a weak half-smile, knowing that she was right; there was no one else I really wanted here with me. Except maybe, Jack. He was the only one that was nice to me on the quest … That reminded me of something.

"Have you talked to Jack yet?" I asked Holly.

She immediately knew what I was thinking and she sighed. "No. Well, yes, we have talked, but not like, you know."

"I think he likes you too," I told her truthfully. I couldn't pretend that I hadn't noticed Jack's expression whenever he was near my red-headed friend.

"You think?" she said, looking up at me hopefully.

I nodded, but quickly stopped as it gave me a headache. I threw off the covers of the bed, and looked down at my leg. It had fresh bandages, as white and snowy as cotton wool. Judging from the cool, tickling sensation, there was probably some sort of healing paste on it.

"We made a paste from the mogodorian fruits," explained Holly. "We couldn't feed you a seed, because it wasn't a magical injury. You just fell."

My ankle was also in bandages, but the bandages were more for support this time. I saw a cut open plaster lying two meters away from the bed which I suspected had also been for my ankle. My foot already felt better, and I hoped I would be able to walk properly soon. I hated being slowed down.

"And that one," said Holly. "Is coming along well, but Chiron said one more day until you are allowed to walk."

I pulled the covers back over my body and sighed. I didn't want to stay in bed any longer.

"And, um," said Holly hesitantly. There is going to be a scar. A bad one."

I grimaced. Great. Now I was going to have a great big ugly scar down my leg. Could this get any worse?

A knock sounded on the door and Holly glanced over her shoulder. "I should go."

She stood up and opened the heavy wooden door, cringing at the loud creak it made. Past Holly's head I saw Audrey's own golden one, her brown eyes bright with eternal excitement. She was wearing a light blue top tucked into high waisted jeans. Audrey peered anxiously over Holly's shoulder and waved when she saw me. Holly folded her arms and wouldn't budge, frowning.

Audrey sighed exasperatedly. "Chiron said I could come in."

Holly raised an eyebrow, a feat I had only recently achieved.

"She can come in!" shouted Chiron's booming voice from one of the other rooms.

Audrey looked at Holly, her face smug. Holly narrowed her eyes and steeped aside, closing the door behind her and leaving us alone in the room.

"Wow," Audrey said, throwing herself on to the squashy old armchair in the corner. "She is like a mama bear protecting her cubs!"

I laughed, a high clear sound, unfamiliar since I hadn't done it in so long. Trust Audrey to cheer me up. I was glad that she hadn't heard about me and Leo yet. She immediately demand that we make up. Technically, neither of us had said the official break up words, but I didn't want to give myself any hope. I sat up on the bed, using the feather pillows to prop myself up.

"Anyway," said Audrey with a loud exaggerated sigh. "How is your leg?"

"It's feeling better. Actually, I wouldn't know; it's numb all over and I can't move it," I admitted. "Holly said it would scar though."

Audrey looked so horrified that I would get a scar that I slumped down dramatically, pretending to be dead of my battle wounds. I was quickly slapping her hands away, giggling hysterically as she tickled my stomach.

"Geroff!" I moaned, still laughing.

"Fine," Audrey said, grinning and sitting back up. "Here."

She winked at me, holding up a little mint green glass bottle. I frowned. "What is it?"

"Only a miracle potion. This will heal any injury not prevented by a monster. A dab of this on your leg, and there will be no scar."

I raised my eyebrow, relishing in the fact that I could single out one single eyebrow from the other.

"Are you sure it works?" I inquired, eyeing the bottle suspiciously.

It sure sounded like a miracle, definitely too good to be true. I knew why Audrey would have it though; she would hate having an imperfection like a scar. I wondered why Chiron didn't have a little potion like this.

"Of course it works. It worked on me, and your leg is perfect for the job. It only works on half healed wounds. Chiron doesn't like to wait, so he doesn't use it," said Audrey, answering my doubts while rolling her eyes.

Giving in, I took the bottle. It was pleasantly cool to the touch and the glass was rounded so that it wasn't sharp. I watched as the liquid inside the translucent bottle turned a bright vivid blue. I looked nervously at Audrey.

"It changes to match your eyes," she explained. Then she made a face. "You're lucky you have blue eyes. You have no idea how it feels to put brown liquid on your body."

I smiled, and began to unwrap the cotton bandages on my leg. I immediately saw the mogodorian paste, and I used a random cloth from the bedside table to wipe it off. An ugly mangled scar ran up my leg and Audrey looked revolted. It had actually already healed, but it still looked hideous.

I uncorked the bottle, and hesitated, the blue liquid sloshing around. Audrey gave me an encouraging nod. Closing my eyes, I splashed some of the liquid on the scar. When I dared to take a peek, I gasped, dropping the bottle as a sharp stinging pain shot through the scar.

"Maia! You almost spilt it!" Audrey scolded, scooping up the bottle and re-corking it.

I lay back down taking heaving breaths as sharp pain flowed through the scar. I was about to yell at Audrey in outrage, but the pain was already fading to a dull throb.

Audrey poked me. "Look! It's working!"

I hoisted my body back up into a sitting position, and saw that she was right. The scar was gone. I ran my hand down my smooth leg, feeling no hints of any magical activity.

I sighed, resting my head back on my pillow. I despised myself. I was lying around in bed having people take care of me, always depending on others. I was sick of always ending up like this. I was tough, and I could withstand pain. The gods know, since I had to endure it so much. It shouldn't be that way. I should be out there, fighting, not cowering behind others.

"So, now that that's done," said Audrey clapping her hands and snapping me out of wallowing in my glum thoughts. "Tell me what happened between you and Leo?"

Dammit. Jack must have spilled. What should I say? There were too many jumbled emotions when it came to Leo. I loved him. Gods, I loved him. But he was too protective, and he wouldn't let me fight for myself. And he wasn't just protective, but he was being unintentionally harsh when he did so. I know boys sometimes get a little confused over that stuff, but still, he had no right to act like that. I reached my decision.

"Well," I began cautiously. "He was being all snide and protective. I merely mentioned the labyrinth because it would get us where we needed to go, and he goes and gets all paranoid and yells at me, so I go alone, and then he finds me, and yells at me again, so I go alone, and then he finds me again, and yells at me again."

Audrey nodded slowly, and I could virtually see the cogs of her brain turning as she processed the information.

"Okay. So you went into the labyrinth alone?" she said finally.

"Yes," I told her impatiently.

"And he came for you. Twice. He must care for you," said Audrey with the air of speaking to someone mentally ill.

"And we fought. Three times. He does not care for me," I reminded her.

Audrey sighed, giving up hope of talking me out of it. She knew how stubborn I was.

"You should at least talk to him."

"No. He's expressed quite clearly that he doesn't want to talk to me, and anyway, I don't want to talk to him," I stated simply.

"Maia," said Audrey, putting her hand on my shoulder. "Whatever hurt you're feeling over him, he's feeling too. I can see it. If you would just talk."

I stayed silent for a moment. I should talk it out. Leo needed to know what he was doing wrong, and how fix it. But it was too late to fix it, and I knew that now.

"Okay, I will talk to him," I said.

Audrey smiled. I got out of the bed with ease, and heard the stiff springs creak in protest. I walked towards the door, finding pleasure in the ability to walk; Audrey's healing potion must have healed my ankle as well.

"Maia, wait!" said Audrey quickly. "Not now! He might not be ready!"

I turned around to face her, a smile playing on my lips. "But I am, so that should be good enough for him."

I opened the door, striding confidently on to the stretch of green grass. The sky was a clear, cornflower blue. I realised too late that I was barefooted. The sharp grass and rocks poked my feet and I winced slightly.

I saw Leo immediately, sitting on a tree stump next to Jack, who seemed to be trying to persuade him of something. Oh. Audrey and Jack must have both been trying to get us to talk to each other at the same time, and Audrey hadn't wanted me to talk to Leo now without the signal from Jack. I huffed, folding my arms. I could see Audrey running out of the big house out the corner of my eye, but I ignored her. Traitor. I walked up next to Leo, and Leo looked up. He looked slightly scared, and I wondered what my expression must look like.

"Hi," Leo said tentatively, and somewhat lamely.

"Leo, we need to sort this out," I said firmly. "Now."

He nodded, still looking a little frightened.

I sighed. "Leo, I'm sick of you fighting my battles for me! I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to fight for myself, but you're preventing that. You are being too protective, and that's sweet, but I just can't deal with it!"

I may have ranted on for longer, but I could tell. All the pain and anguish that I had been holding in gushed out of my mouth, and I could barely look at Leo's horrified expression.

"And Leo, if you're not okay with all that, it's over, because I just don't think I can lie around anymore," I said, trying to keep my voice level, but it was trembling anyway.

Jack and Audrey gaped, and I saw Holly stop dead in the distance. None of them could believe I was ending. But I had to. That was the only way. Leo stayed silent.

"Fine," I said shakily, feeling tears well up in my eyes.

"Maia –" Leo began.

"No," I said through angry tears. "You've already made your opinion perfectly clear."

I forced myself to stare back into his eyes, his vivid green brimming with hurt.

"Maia," said Jack in the voice he used when he was trying to reason with someone.

I pushed him away, a hand held over my face. "Just don't. Go away."

I walked off, my legs steady, but my lips trembling. I didn't want to end it, but it had to end. Everything had to end. That's just what love is. There are no happy endings. Ever. All the same, I felt like a large hole had just been drilled through my heart, and I knew it would never mend.

I could see Audrey following me, and I speed up my walk. I dodged a stone amid the thick grass, and accidently walked straight through the Apollo team's line of fire in my blindness. They hissed angrily, flicking the strings of their bows. I muttered a quick apology and burst through the door of my cabin, being carefully not to slam the frail wooden door.

Thankfully, the cabin was empty, but hair tongs and make-up cases still lay open on the bunk beds from previous in cabin make-up treatments. I flopped down on my bed with a dry sob, scrunching the red fluffy blanket between my fingers and lying face down in the pillow.

"Maia?"

I felt the bed sink as Audrey sat down on it.

"Go away," I said, my voice muffled by the pillow.

Audrey huffed. "No."

I sat up and got off my irresistible top bunk, climbing steadily down the ladder past Audrey.

"I'm having a shower," I announced, knowing that Audrey could not follow me there.

I walked into the bathroom, the cold tiles feeling cool against my feet. I closed the door quietly and leant my back against the door, breathing out heavily. The thing was, I didn't regret breaking up with Leo. He needed to let me stand up for myself. No demigod wants to be shielded from danger. Demigods are a freaking magnet to danger.

I undressed and hoped in the shower, dancing from foot to foot as I waited for the water to turn warm. The pale pink tiled shower wasn't very big, but it was spacious enough for the slim bodies that Aphrodite had granted us all with. My muscles relaxed under the heat, and I felt strangely free and strangled at the same time. Still, only one thought filled my mind.

It was over.

A / N: How ironic it is that this chapter is unlucky chapter 13. Please review! Always review! I cannot breath if you don't review!