GO FORWARD AND BE EATEN.
GO BACK AND REGRET IT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
NOT MUCH OF A CHOICE, IS IT?
AAAAAAHHHHHH! It's finally summer! And Mr. Spade and Maggie are moving away! That's sad. But never mind my personal problems.
This is probably the last chapter in this story. If I get another idea, I'll post it, but there will be no more regular updates. On the bright side, I will be doing another PJO story over the summer, but I'll need a little while to get started, so you won't see me for a bit. Thanks to everyone who has stuck by this. I apologize to anyone who was offended, hurt or annoyed by it, I meant no harm!
Thalia
"Well," I said, hugging Jason and Piper tightly, "You guys be good to each other. Seriously Piper, if he annoys you to much, the Hunters are happy to have you. Or you can IM me and I'll come over and kick his butt for you!"
"Thalia," Jason scolded, while Piper laughed, "Don't even joke about that!"
"Don't worry Thalia," Piper told me, confidently, "I can deal with him."
I ruffled Jason's hair as he spluttered and blushed.
"I love you little brother, never forget that! Call me any time."
I said goodbye to the others, noogied Nico, and then snuck up behind my favorite cousin.
"You," I growled, grabbing him in a headlock, "No more disappearing! Got it? Or else I'll come back and knock you out for a lot longer than eight months."
Percy choked and Annabeth said, "Uh, Thalia, could you let him down? I don't think he can breathe."
"Eh? Oh, sorry Perce," I apologized, letting go, "Being immortal never gets old, right? Not that you'd know."
Percy rubbed his neck and muttered something under his breath that probably wasn't very nice, but since I was in a forgiving mood, so I let it go.
"Annabeth, you're my best friend, but for the life of me I don't know what you see in my cousin. You could do so much better."
She sighed.
"I don't really expect you to, Thalia."
I hugged her and then squeezed Percy as hard as I could and whispered a few more threats into his ear before releasing him and turning to the forest.
I started to run, and the ground disappeared under my flying feet, the wind whipping my face, but even it couldn't catch me.
I leapt and bounded over fallen trees and streams, I was a falcon, no, a wolf! Racing nature to my sister pack, and winning.
Let the others have their love stories and human lives, I thought gleefully, I am Thalia, first lutenint to Lady Artemis, I am an immortal maiden, free in every earthly way, I am the huntress of the night, catch me if you can!
Jason
I leaned over the side of the ship, letting the wind whip my hair and watching the clouds roll underneath us. But there were less pleasant thing to think about, and they had to be voiced. But someone else said it, before I did.
"Where will you go?" Piper asked, coming up and standing next to me.
I looked over, at her choppy, uneven, chocolate colored hair blowing in the wind. Her kaleidoscope eyes scrutinizing me. I couldn't help but smile a little.
"I think . . . I think I need to go back. Back toCampJupiter. I mean, it's my home. My first real home. And I'll be Praetor there. Percy's not going to do it, and there has to be someone. I think it's supposed to be me. The people there . . . they need me. They need me to lead them."
"There are other people who need you," Piper said softly. She wasn't crying, or complaining. She was just stating a fact.
"There are other people I need too," I murmured, and took her hands in both of mine. She leaned her forehead against mine and we closed our eyes.
"You could come with me," I blurted out.
"I have to at least go back toCampHalf-Blood, at least one more time. My siblings don't deserve to be controlled by Drew again."
"But after that?"
"I'll come. Me and Leo both. I promise."
"How do I know you'll really come?"
Piper stepped back and cocked her head.
"So you want to dance, or what?"
"With no music," I said, smiling, "On a dragon boat hundreds of miles in the air. Sounds dangerous."
"I'm a dangerous girl," she said, smiling.
"That I can believe."
She was right. Percy and Annabeth weren't the only ones with a love story.
A year later
"Come on Jason, he's not going to bite."
"Ha, yeah right. That would be the Roman reaction."
"Well he isn't Roman. Quite frankly, he'll just be happy there's someone out there crazy enough to be my boyfriend."
"For about the first three seconds. Then he'll drill me for every bit of information I have, and when he finds a fault, throw me out on the street because I can't tell him anything good!"
Piper rolled her eyes and knocked on the door.
"I promise he won't hurt you," she whispered as footsteps drew closer.
" !" a butler exclaimed, opening the door, "Good to see you home again! Your father is waiting for you in the living room."
"Thank you, Smithers, and can you have the cook make his favorite snack? I need him to be in a good mood today."
"Of course," Smithers eyed Jason, who was standing to the side nervously, and nodded in understanding.
"Let's go," Piper muttered, and dragged Jason by the hand to where her father was.
"Dad?"
"Aah, Piper," Tristan McLean cried happily when she entered the room, "Glad to have you back."
He strode over and hugged her.
"Oh? And who's this?" he asked suspiciously, seeing Jason for the first time.
"Umm, Dad, this is Jason," Piper said, pulling him forward.
"He's my boyfriend," she added, seeing her father's confusion.
His expression changed from shock, to delight, to wary and protective.
"I see," he said with a tight smile, "Well, why don't we all sit down and have a snack? I'm sure Smithers would be happy to bring some-"
"I've already asked him," Piper interrupted.
"Oh."
They sat down awkwardly, Jason and Piper on the couch and Tristan on a chair. Jason busied himself in looking around at the large windows and white airy coloring of the comfortable room, anywhere but at Piper's dad.
"So, Jason," Tristan started, and Jason flinched, "Who are your parents?"
"Uh, my mom died when I was about two, and my father, uh, left a while ago. I don't know too much about them."
"You live on your own? No other relatives?"
"I have a sister, but she travels a lot, and I live at another camp."
It continued like this for sometime, ending up being exactly the Spanish Inquisition-like interview Jason had been expecting and dreading.
Finally Piper, unable to stand the tension in the room, got up saying, "I'd better see what's taking Smithers so long with the snacks," and left the room, leaving the two males alone.
"Listen, boy," he said in a cold voice, "I don't want you anywhere near my daughter. Go home to whatever rock you live under and leave us in peace. I will say that you had to go, and that you said to tell her that it just wasn't working out. But I'm not letting you date my Piper. Now you will leave."
I was shocked, but then angry. How dare he tell me, Jason Grace, that I wasn't good enough? I was good enough for Piper, and he should respect that.
"No."
"What?" Tristan asked sharply, standing up. I stood up too. I was as tall as he was.
"I said no," I told him in a stronger voice, "I'm sorry sir, but Piper means more to me than anything else in this world, and I'm not giving her up just because you don't approve."
"You have nothing to offer her. You can not give her a safe home, a good family. She would be better off with someone who was not from that freak camp place."
"She might be better off, if she were normal. But nobody normal could ever understand her."
"How dare you insult-"
"Your daughter is the smartest, powerful, kindest and beautiful person I've ever met, and I don't care if I have nothing to offer but myself, I'll make her happy if it's the last thing I do!"
I glared at Tristan. Tristan glared at me. Then, inexplicably, he began to laugh. I watched, bewildered, as he sank back in his chair, clutching his stomach.
"Oh," he gasped, "I like you boy! Good man! You are perfect for my daughter. Go and marry her, if you will, I give you blessing! Ha ha ha!"
"Uh, what?" I asked stupidly, not understanding.
"My dear boy," Tristan chuckled, "I'm an actor. If you're really crazy enough to date my daughter, I have no reason to stop you, except to make sure this isn't some whim for her looks."
"So . . . so you weren't really mad? You really don't mind?"
"Of course not!" he cried happily, "I wish you guys the best of luck!"
"I told you so," a voice from the doorway said smugly. Piper stood there with the snacks, grinning at us.
"Sorry about that," Tristan said, calming down, "but it was necessary. Why don't we start over? Hi," he said, holding out his hand, "I'm Tristan McLean, father of the girl you're dating, and if you don't treat her right, you will wake up with a sword in your chest."
"I'm Jason Grace," I answered swiftly, shaking his hand, "And I'll take care of her like my life depends on it."
"You two are the most dramatic, over protective, idiots I've ever met," Piper announced, setting the tray down.
"That's why you love us," we said together, smirking.
Hazel
"The mall?" Frank said incredulously, "we're going to the mall?"
"Yes!" I said happily, taking his hand and pulling him forward.
"But why?"
"Because we have to go Christmas shopping! This is the first Christmas we've all been together. I want it to be special."
"So who are we getting presents for?"
"Everyone!"
"Everyone? Like, everyone everyone?"
"Yep!"
"But neither of us have that kind of money!"
"Wrong!" I cried gleefully, "My dad is the god of jewels and precious metals! He pays me for every one of the cursed rocks, and I've been saving all year! Come on!"
I dragged him through every single store, and we found almost all the presents we needed. There was a book on architecture for Annabeth, a giant bag of blue candy for Percy, we got the special mechanical springy part of something that Leo had been wanting and for Reyna we found a t-shirt that read, I'm the Queen, Kiss my Ass on it.
"She's going to kill us!" Frank groaned when we purchased it.
For Ella, we got a book on world facts, Tyson would get a new paintball gun, Mrs. O'Leary a giant rubber ball, for Thalia and the Hunters, a special first class private jet to Australia, Jason got a dog tag with 'sparky' on it, Piper a new CD, Dakota some herbal tea, (we were trying to break him of Kool-Aid,) Gwen earrings, Octavian a few stuffed animal that I deemed too ugly to let live, and finally a book on ancient burial rights for my brother.
"Is that everything?" Frank sighed, struggling to lift all the bags.
"I think so . . . no, wait! I have to get you something too! What would you like?"
"Oh, uh," Frank blushed, "you don't need to get me anything Hazel."
"But you're my boyfriend," I cried, "I have to, and I want to! Just tell me what you want! I can pay for pretty much anything."
Once Frank realized that there was no getting out me giving him something, he gave in.
"Fine," he sighed resignedly, "If you really want to that badly, how about you take half of these bags and buy me a coffee and we sit down for a while? I'm exhausted."
I agreed and we went to Starbucks. I got a caramel hot chocolate with extra whipped cream, and Frank had a mocha frapachino with cinnamon swirls, and we sat outside in the cold to drink them.
"Are you sure this is all I can do?" I asked worriedly, "I want to make this Christmas special for everyone, especially you. But I dragged you out shopping and made you carry everything."
Frank smiled and put his arm around me.
"I wanted to come, and I really don't mind being able to use my strength. Just being with you, and seeing you happy is enough. But if it makes you feel better, we can go ice skating or sledding some other time. I don't mind, as long as I'm with you, okay?"
I beamed.
"Okay!"
Then I reached up and gave a peck on the lips.
"I like being with you too," I whispered, snuggling into his broad shoulder.
Frank blushed, and we watched the snowflakes spiraling down on our heads. It was the best Christmas, ever!
Rachel
I climbed slowly up to my cave in the mountain after an exhausting day welcoming home the hero's from the war. Everyone else was of course, still celebrating, but I was only mortal and therefore susceptible to human things like over exertion.
When I finally got up the long winding path, the fist thing I did was take a long hot shower, then wrap myself in a fluffy white towel and sit on my bed to brush my hair. Maybe tomorrow I would talk to Percy and Annabeth privately and congratulate them on their engagement.
"You know, no one else knows about that," a voice behind me said, "you'll be in trouble if you say anything without them even knowing that you know."
"That was why I was going to do it privately, and stop reading my thoughts!"
"Why?" the sun god asked, stretching lazily in my favorite chair by the modern fire place, "It's so much easier than waiting for you to start a conversation."
"It's perverted," I snapped, clutching the towel tightly, "and so are you."
"What?" Apollo cried, shocked, "Why?"
I looked very deliberately down at myself and then raised my eyebrows at him.
"Oh, that," he said, waving an airy hand, "Don't worry, you look beautiful."
"I'm not wearing anything!" I exploded.
He smirked, "Exactly."
"I'm supposed to be an eternal maiden! Why are always flirting with me?"
Apollo looked at me with something like pity.
"Yes, you are to never officially love anyone, but the spirit of the Oracle gets passed from mother to daughter, so how do you think that works? Besides, it's not like we need to have sex, technically I'm already working through you, but-"
"You pervert!" I screeched, and threw a crystal ball at him, "How can you say that! I'm eighteen, I'm not having kids anytime soon, especially not with you, so-! Why are you laughing!"
He was rolling on the floor, howling with laughter, tears running down his face.
"Oh, you should have seen the look on your face when I said that!" he cackled, "Oh, that was beautiful, really, I've never seen anyone's face get so red!"
"You were teasing me!" I yelled, incensed, now blushing redder than a fire truck.
"That's it!" I cried, and shoved towards the door, "Get out! Out! Now!"
"Okay, okay, I'm going," he chortled as I pushed him through the cave entrance.
"By the way, he called through the curtain, "you have a prophecy at ten, so don't go to sleep yet! This one'll be important, I need people to hear it!"
I huffed. This meant another sleepless night.
The next day I woke up in my cave bed with a pounding headache and almost no memory of the night before. Shit, I must have spoken a prophecy then passed out. But how did I get back here?
I looked around and noticed a card and a small bottle on my bedside table. When I opened the card up, it started playing We Are Young. Cursing the infernal song to the fieriest pits in Tartarus, I read what it said.
My most beloved Oracle,
Good morning! Sorry about the headache, just take the medicine next to the card and you should be fine. You were so tired, I saw no point in waking you up after your little fainting spell, so I put you to sleep for about twelve hours. I also, in apology for upsetting you yesterday, carried you back to the cave and changed you into your pajamas. Hence, the song.
Lots of love from your favorite boss,
Phoebus Apollo, Slayer of the Mighty Python, God of the Sun, Poetry, Medicine and Prophecy, Voted Best Looking Male God
P.S. Don't diss the song! Janelle Monae is a genius!
"APOLLO!"
Leo
"Pleeeeeease Reyna?"
"No."
"Pretty, pretty please?"
"No."
"Pretty, pretty please with ice cream and chocolate and rainbow sprinkles and that new gladius you want on top?"
"No way."
"Whyyyyyyyyy?"
"Why do you think Leo?" Reyna snapped, throwing her book down and looking up from the chair she was reclining in, "Why on earth would the leader of the Romans not want to go to the Greek camp?"
"Jason did it!" I pouted, leaning on the back of the chair and playing with the end of her long braid.
"Only because he was kidnapped and had his memories erased!" Reyna reminded me, slapping my hand away.
I frowned in thought, and then suddenly spun her chair around so she was facing me.
"Leo, what are you-?" But she was cut off because I kissed her roughly.
Losing her train of thought, she kissed me back and ran her hands through my hair, stroking the light stubble on my jaw.
After several minutes, we broke apart, panting heavily. I rested my forehead against hers and trailed tiny kisses up and down her cheek.
"Please?" I breathed in her ear.
"Well," Reyna murmured reluctantly, and leaned forward a little to kiss me again, and I smirked, thinking I had won. But just before our lips met, she went up a bit and kissed my nose.
"Nope!"
Grover
"They'll be here soon, Grover," Juniper assured me, squeezing my hand tightly.
I nodded stiffly. My friends, my best friends, were finally coming home, but anything could have happened since I saw them last, and that was like, a year ago. Any of them could be dead.
"Hey!" one of the twins called from the tree where they were perched on look out, "I think I see them! They're-" But his cry was cut short when he fell out of the tree. Ignoring the other one who was laughing, Katie helped him up off the ground, scolding and dusting him off. Must have been Travis. He and Katie started dating a few months ago.
I squinted into the distance, and could just make out a speck on the horizon that was getting steadily bigger.
"'Bout time," Clarisse grumbled, but I could tell she was relieved too.
Finally, as the sun started to set, the ship landed and we all ran towards it, hardly daring to hope who would get off it.
A head popped over the railing, and smiled down at us.
"Hey," Percy said cheerfully, as if he hadn't been missing for the last year or so, "Did you miss me?"
The next person we saw was Annabeth, and then the others.
When they came off, everyone assaulted them, shaking their hands, hugging them, patting them on the back, saying how much they had missed them, and almost crying with joy.
Eventually, Percy broke free of the chaos and spotted me.
"Hey G-man!" he cried, and he and Annabeth came forward.
"Peeeeeercy! Aaaaaannabeth!" I bleated and hugged them.
"Glad to see you guys still alive," I grinned.
Percy laughed.
"Glad to be alive, Grover," Annabeth sighed.
Piper
It was time to go home, so I went looking for Percy and Annabeth to tell them to hurry up. I finally found them in an empty hallway on the Argo II, leaning against the wall and talking and laughing quietly. I hid behind the corner to watch. They were so-
"Hey," a voice interrupted my thoughts. I jumped, and then realized it was Jason.
"Hey," I responded, twining my hand with his.
"Aren't you going to tell them it's time to go?" Jason asked, nodding at the couple.
"In a bit," I said, still gazing at them, "But I like watching them. They're even easier to read when they're alone together."
"But they are just talking. We can't even hear what they're saying."
"Yes, but when they talk to each other, they use more than their voices. They can communicate with their whole bodies, without even touching. And they know the other so well, that they can understand what they are saying. It's quite fascinating to watch them."
"I see . . . Well no, I don't see, not really. But after all they are, 'The most famous love story since Helen and Paris.'"
I looked up into his sky blue eyes and smiled. He grinned in return, the cute little scar on his upper lip, curving into a crescent.
"They aren't the only ones," I murmured, and reached up to kiss him.
"Ahem," someone coughed.
We broke apart to see Percy and Annabeth smirking at us with their eyebrows raised.
"Umm, we were just," Jason tried to explain, blushing.
"We were just coming to tell you it was time to go," I said hurriedly, seeing that he was floundering. Jason shot me a grateful look.
"Uh huh," Annabeth gave us a look.
"Well, we'd better get going," Percy snickered, and they sauntered off.
"We catch them alone and we're the ones being teased," Jason muttered to me.
"Don't worry," I laughed, "we still have plenty of people to tease. Like Leo."
"Oooohhh, yes, I need to get him back for the thing with the crocodile and the fireworks."
"We are such good friends."
"Yep," Leo said cheerfully, coming up behind us and throwing an arm around our shoulders, "We'll be known as, 'Brave Jason, Amazing Piper, and of course, the Mighty, Magnificent, Awe Inspiring, Leo the !"
"That's a bit long," I noticed, "But you could sum it up as crazy."
"I will have you know," Leo said indignantly, "That when we get there, I'll be able to see my own girlfriend! And she doesn't mind that I'm crazy!"
We both stared at him.
"You have a girlfriend!" Jason cried, shocked.
"Well, not yet, I haven't gotten around to asking her out, but in time we'll be just as lovey dovey as the rest of you mere mortals, so don't get your hopes up!"
"But-But who is it!" Jason spluttered.
"Reyna, of course," Leo said, as if that should be obvious.
I seriously thought Jason would faint, right there and then.
Nico
"Psst, Hazel!" I hiss, and wait for her to join me in the shadow of the forest.
"What is it Nico?" she asked worriedly, "Are you all right?"
I looked down at her. She had dark skin, curly hair and was younger than me. She was the exact opposite of Bianca. But now I realized I loved her just as much.
"Look, I'm . . . not good at life. Or anything of that sort," I started awkwardly, but she cut me off.
"I love you too, Nico," she smiled and squeezed me tight. After a moments surprise, I hugged her back. It was odd, feeling like I had to take care of someone.
"Bianca would be proud," she whispered in my ear. That brought tears to my eyes, and I rested my head on her shoulder to steady myself.
"If . . . if you ever need someone, or want to talk," I finally said, pushing her away, "I'll, uh, be with dad. I might visit sometime, see how Frank is treating you."
Hazel winked and laughed, "All right big brother, and I'll be here too, if you ever need me."
"Thanks, little sis," I said, and ruffled her hair.
I started to disappear into the cool shadows, but then popped my head back out.
"Wait, Hazel, could you tell Percy . . . ah, just tell him I'm sorry."
She nodded in understanding and skipped off to the others. I smiled as I saw Frank put an arm around her before I shadow traveled away.
It makes all the difference, having a family, someone you can rely on, someone to protect.
Reyna
Leaning against the window, I looked out at the pouring rain and sighed. I hate the rain. It makes me feel sick. And tired. And grumpy. I sighed again, and then noticed two figures out in the wet. They weren't wearing rain coats, and when the lightning flashed, I recognized Jason and Piper. They started spinning around and around, laughing, and then fell over, lying next to each other.
That's right, I thought, Jason always liked the rain.
I didn't know what to feel. I wasn't sad, or jealous, or angry.
I twisted the curtain in her hand. I had once liked Jason, not a lot, but enough. Not anymore. I'm with Leo. It was different, being around Leo. He was so cheerful and funny, and always energetic and annoying. When I'm with him, I feel relieved, and less stressed. And warm. Very warm.
Smiling, a little sadly, I gently closed the curtain. That part of my life was over now.
"Hey, querida," Leo's voice called, "could you help me set this stuff up?"
He came in carrying a bunch of plates and silverware, and set them on the table.
"I made tacos, I just hope there's enough for every- Reyna, what's wrong?"
I crossed the room and leaned my head against his chest.
"Nothing," I muttered, "I just hate the rain."
Leo looked down at me in surprise for a second, but then wrapped his arms around me securely and kissed the top of my head.
"Yeah," he said simply, "Me too."
Frank
"Nooooooooo!"
"C'mon, Hazel, it's not going to be that bad. Everyone else is going to be there, and besides, you don't have a choice."
"But why? I'm perfectly happy at camp, with people who understand, with my friends!"
"Your friends are here too! This is where Percy is, and Annabeth, and Piper and Leo and Jason. And me! We're all here."
"I've been to school before Frank Zhang, and I know how awful it is. You can't fool me."
"Hazel, that was over seventy years ago. Things have changed. And there are new things to learn. Like modern technology, and new history, and mortal social skills. We all need these things, that's why we go to school. And this one is easier because Paul knows we're different and can help if we get in trouble."
Hazel tried a different tactic.
"If all these demigods go to one school, there will be so many monsters running around, we'll get people killed. I'd be doing them a service, since I'm the daughter of one of the Big Three, by not going."
"Nice try, but your dad was the one who ordered you here in the first place, and anyway, after Gaea was defeated, almost all the monsters have been sent to Tartarus for an undetermined length of time."
Hazel slumped in my arms, seemingly defeated.
"Please," she whimpered, "please don't make me do this."
My heart melted. She looked unbelievably cute, with her big eyes brimming with tears, her lower lip jutting out a little in a pout.
I sighed.
I couldn't go against the god's wishes, but I couldn't make Hazel miserable either. So I swung her small body up so that she was seated on one of my shoulders.
"Frank!" she shrieked, clinging to my neck, "What're you doing?"
"Being so big has some advantages. I'm carrying you to school."
We were silent as I continued walking down the street to Goode High. She was really light.
"Listen, Hazel, I know you don't want to do this. But I also know you don't have a choice. So I promise to you, I'll do whatever it takes to make school fun for you. Okay?"
"Okay," she whispered, "But I'm only fourteen. I'm too young for high school. What if-"
"Hey," I said comfortingly, "don't worry about that. We'll beat up anyone who does anything to make you unhappy. And you're really smart. You'll catch up with a little help and tutoring from Annabeth."
"I don't need you guys to protect me," she muttered, but I was glad she had calmed down.
We finally got to school, early, by the way, and what do you know, the first people we see when we walk n the door are our friends.
"Hey, you guys!" we called, and when they turned around, we saw that Percy and Annabeth, were handcuffed to-
"Brother!" Hazel shrieked, jumping down and running to him, and then squeezing him so tightly he choked.
"Hazel," he gasped, as he started to turn blue, "I know I've talked to you about the whole displaying affection thing."
"Oops," she giggled, and released him. Then she looked around.
"Thalia? What are you doing here?"
Because Thalia was attached to Annabeth, the same way Nico was to Percy.
Thalia growled a little, but didn't answer, due to the fact that she was clenching her teeth so hard, they looked like they might soon break.
"We dragged her here," Jason explained cheerfully, "She and Nico are here for the same reasons you are, Hazel."
"Do you have any idea how demeaning it is for me to be kidnapped and forced to be here by my younger brother and cousin? Not to mention my traitorous best friend," Thalia burst out, glaring at Annabeth.
"What, you think I want to be handcuffed to a cranky sixteen year old girl for who knows how long?" Annabeth snapped, "I didn't choose this."
"Well I can't even do anything in these stupid shackles!" Nico cried, "None of my powers work! I tried to shadow travel, but I just got a really big headache and didn't go anywhere! What're these things made of anyway?"
Everyone shrugged.
"See, Hazel?" I whispered in her ear, "Everyone's here. We can all be miserable together."
"Isn't that nice," she muttered darkly.
Suddenly, a shrill ringing filled the air.
"That's the bell," Percy said grimly, "You guys, try not to destroy anything. Piper, if any of these guys try to escape, use whatever means to bring them back. I'm sure Leo would love to help also."
"Ooooohh, yeah, bring on the pain!" Leo shouted, making everyone else in the hallway turn towards us, as if we weren't attracting enough attention already.
"C'mon Hazel," Jason said warmly, "You're with me and Piper for first period." Piper nodded at her encouragingly.
Hazel started shaking again.
"Go on," I gave her a little push.
"But-"
"Go. It'll be all right, you'll see."
She looked at me, her eyes searching my face for the truth.
"Promise?"
I felt my insides crumble.
"Hazel, if you can break a curse, date a shape shifter, deal with this crazy immortal family, and still have time to save the world, there is no doubt you can get through your first day of high school. And if anyone, and I mean anyone, bothers you, tell me and I'll squish them like bugs."
She laughed.
"Okay," she said, kissed me on the cheek and followed Jason and Piper to class, stopping before turning the corner to wave and smile at me, and then disappearing from my sight. I kept staring in that direction for a while, until Leo grabbed the back of my collar.
"C'mon Lover Boy, we need to get to class too," and he dragged me off.
Of course, I was right. By the end of the day, everybody aside from a few bitchy individuals was in love with the adorable, genius, fourteen year old girl who was nice to everybody. The teachers adored her, and upon hearing she was motherless, instantly gave her as much encouragement as they could. She was surrounded by a bunch of friends when I came saw her at the parking lot where we were all meeting.
"Who is that?" I heard one of the girls whisper to Hazel as I waved at her.
"My boyfriend," she smiled, and ran up and hugged me. She waved goodbye to her friends and turned towards me smiling as I started the second car.
"Well?" I asked, ignoring Jason, Piper and Leo in the back seat.
"Oh Frank," she breathed, "It was so much fun! First we . . ."
And she proceeded to tell me about her day as we drove back home, while I thought that I could get very used to this.
Annabeth
After dinner, I decided to take Percy's advice and go to bed early, for the baby's sake. I brushed my teeth and then stripped off my clothes, stepping into the hot water, letting it relax my tense muscles. First I washed my hair, and then as I started scrubbing my arms, I saw something move in the corner.
O gods, I thought weakly, Ohgodsohgodsohgodsohgod. Not here. Not now. I couldn't move, not to turn the shower off or run away. I remembered something about how a baby could be mutated if the mom had a scare while she was pregnant, so I tried not to think about thethingthatmustnotbenamed, and averted my eyes from the wall.
"Percy?" I tried to call, but my voice was hoarse and faint. I tried again, this time louder.
"Percy? Could you come in here?"
"Annabeth? Are you okay?" Percy's voice came from the other side of the door, "You sound like you have a mouse in your throat."
Stupid Seaweedbrain.
"Percy, I need you to come in here, look into the corner, completely and totally dispose of what's there, and then not laugh at me," I told him in my calmest voice.
"Umm, okaaaayy," he said slowly, opened the door, and scanned the room, his eyes finally resting on the thing on the wall. His face broke into a smirk as he surveyed my situation, and then leaned up against the wall, checking me out.
"Hmm. You know, this is a good look for you," he commented casually, "you should wear it more often."
"Perseus Jackson," I growled, and he flinched, "You kill that thing or I will scream and panic and go so mentally insane, I will not know who you are, and then I will undoubtedly kill you in some slow and painful way. Perhaps slicing you up into little bits, feeding them to a wild boar and then throwing the boar in an active volcano? Would you like that?"
"All right, all right," he said hastily, taking a wad of toilet paper and coming over to see where it was, "No need to get so graphic with the death threats."
He finally spotted it, high up on the tiled wall of the shower.
One of its many, hairy legs twitched.
"Percy!" I shrieked, closing my eyes tightly, "It's moving!"
"Yes, Annabeth, I can see that," he said calmly.
Slowly, so slowly I'm sure it was purely out of the pleasure he gets from my pain, he moved forward and squashed the giant pale brown spider that had been harassing me.
Once I heard the flush of the toilet, I opened my eyes a crack.
"Is it gone?"
"It's gone," Percy confirmed, still smirking, "and now you owe me, so how about letting me join you in that shower that has yet to be finished?"
In answer, I shoved him out the door and locked it with a satisfying click. Unfortunately, I could still hear him sniggering all down the hall.
Percy
I stared up at the branches of Thalia's old tree, but not really seeing them, letting the rain drip through onto my face.
"What're you doing here?" Annabeth asked quietly, sitting down next to where I was lying and looking at me questioningly.
"I'm just . . . thinking," I said, absentmindedly twining my fingers around hers.
"Seaweedbrain, thinking? You must be sick," she said teasingly.
"Ha ha. Actually, I was thinking about when I first came here, when it all started. Things had been even weirder than normal, a hairy guy in tighey whiteys was chasing me and my mom and Grover, who turned out to have goat legs. Then the car blew up, my mom disappeared in golden light, Grover was unconscious and it was just me and the bull. I thought I would die, but I rammed him into Thalia's tree anyway."
"Must've hurt. Maybe that's why she doesn't like being nice to you."
"Oh yeah, never thought of that. I didn't even know what I was doing. And everything's changed so much since then. If the Minotaur came here right now, I'd be able to kill him without a second thought, and would probably laugh at how easy it is. I used to not have any idea how to use a sword, and any monster terrified me. Thing are so different now."
Annabeth looked at me carefully.
"Does that make you sad?"
"I don't know. I feel like too many bad things happened to be happy about it all. But I'm still alive, and we've saved the world from about everything it could throw at us. So I think it would be ungrateful to wish it had all never happened. But we've all changed so much. Sometimes I wonder if I'm still me."
"Of course you're still you. You're a very constant person."
"Oh really? And what about you?"
"I haven't changed either. I'm just too stubborn."
"No kidding."
"Besides," she said, ignoring that, "Its not that you've changed, there's just . . . more of you. You've grown up a bit. We all have."
"I'm just . . . tired. Really, really tired. It's been exhausting," I mutter, turning my face to rest it against Annabeth's thigh.
"Then go to sleep," she murmured, stroking my hair softly. It felt good.
"Here?"
"Don't worry, I'll keep watch."
"Mm 'kay"
I was almost asleep, but I wanted to say one more thing.
"Wisegirl?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for always having my back."
"Anytime, Seaweedbrain. Anytime"
I'm not exactly a supporter of Apollo and Rachel, because it's not very realistic, but this kind of meaningless teasing was very fun to write.
I just love the Nico and Hazel brother sister realationship. They're so cute! And if Frank does die, (knock on wood!) at least Nico will be there and be able to understand what Hazel is going through. I'm not a Lazel fan.
I've always thought Hazel was more of a kid than the others, so that's the way I wrote it.
I don't want this story to be over either, but I just can't do more than one at a time. So click the little author update button and wait for my next story! It will be in mostly Leo and Percy's POV, and I hope you will find it interesting.
I am not going to read the first chapter of the Mark of Athena. Why? Because I don't feel like spending the next three months feeling sick with worry, that's why. I'm not that maschotistic. (I think that's how you spell it.)
Yes, it was the typical spider/shower drabble. Deal with it.
Always and Forever, REVIEW!