Chapter Title: I Come Clean About My Prophecy

(A/N: Here we go. Colton coming clean to camp about his prophecy. More shipping moments and other stuff will most likely ensue.)

It was an awkward silence that the campers were under as they sat around the campfire, waiting for Colton. He had given them about half an hour for them to process the bombshell revelation he had told him in the aftermath of his fight against Tantalus. Many of them couldn't begin to comprehend it.

Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Tyson, and Chiron also gathered around it as well, having returned during that half hour and having been brought up to speed on what had happened by Lee and Clarisse. Even they were all stunned at the revelation, especially Chiron.

The night it had happened, Colton hadn't said a word when he came back down from the attic, looking like he had seen a ghost or something up there. Chiron just attributed it to maybe he had seen a ghost of a demigod from the past, since they were known to make appearances up there from time to time. Now, he knew that it had been something else.

Kayla simply couldn't believe it. She had no words to even describe how she felt about this whole situation.

Clarisse and Sherman felt.. unusually worried and annoyed at themselves. The fact that Colton had lived with the knowledge about this prophecy since last summer and not once had the two suspected that something was up was like a punch in the gut. That he had managed to keep this a secret for so long, mainly because of them being distracted by Luke, was an absolute shock to both of them. Why would he feel the need to keep this a secret? What was said to him by the Oracle that would cause him to act like that?

The sound of footsteps all alerted everyone gathered their that Colton himself had returned. He walked around the campfire, sat down by Kayla, head looking down at the ground and sighed. "I guess you'd like me to start from the beginning, wouldn't you all?" he asked.

"That would be greatly appreciated, Colton. Please do.." Chiron answered, and Colton simply looked up, had to blink twice when he saw that Chiron was back, before he turned to his siblings. "While Percy, Grover, and Annabeth were off locating Zeus' missing lightning bolt last summer, my siblings all decided to guilt trip me into cleaning the attic one night because Sherman didn't feel like doing it.. he was the one who was supposed to that night.." Colton started, causing his siblings to feel the stares of everyone else upon them, and look down to the ground in a little bit of shame.

"I wanted to refuse, but couldn't.. since Chiron would get suspicious.. so reluctantly, I went up there.." Colton continued. "..got up into the attic, and started cleaning. For a while, there was nothing happening really. Quiet night, aside from the distant thunder in the distance since you know.. Zeus was still angry and suspicious of Poseidon back then."

The fact that he could remember it so well was surprising to many, since it had been almost a full year since that quest. The quest that had exposed Luke as an agent of Kronos.

"I was in the process of cleaning the window opposite the Oracle, behind the ladder you would use to enter the attic.." Colton told them. "..and I had just turned around to get my cloth wet with more water, when I noticed movement out of the top of my vision. I looked up. The oracle's hand was moving.. literally moving, and keep in mind, I hadn't said a single word to her at all."

He gave them a few moments to process that before Beckendorf spoke up. "So what did she say to you then?" he asked, having a gut feeling that he wouldn't like the answer.

Colton trembled a little, remembering that prophecy from that night, then stabilized himself. He nodded, sighed and then spoke.

"It went something like this.." he started. "Bulls give way to flaming red hair.. Deciding the choice that drives one there. To save camp, he must fight.. Once against one, then against many twice. Love builds a bridge strong.. For him to guard well and care. When the time comes and war flares.. A single kiss will bless them fair."

"Wait.. I'm sorry.. did you just say 'war'.. did you just say that?" Annabeth said from across the campfire, and Colton looked at her, and grimly nodded.

"I'm guessing that's why he came back into the cabin that night looking like he just witnessed the end of the world.." Clarisse said, remembering her own memories of that night. In her opinion, she didn't blame her sibling at all after he had repeated the prophecy to them for not telling her or the others that night. None of them wanted to believe that war could be coming.

"Honestly, the first couple of nights, I actually thought it was a joke.." Colton said, and was about to say more when Chiron interrupted.

"Colton, please. Prophecies from the Oracle are not jokes.." he said, and Colton just looked at him, slightly miffed.

"I'm not kidding, Chiron. I actually thought it was a joke.." Colton replied back, with Kayla now clinging to his arm. "Then.. when that traitor Luke left camp and Percy nearly died, that's when I knew.. that it wasn't a joke. I didn't really know what to think back then."

"So you knew.." Annabeth started. "..you had warning that whatever Luke was doing wasn't going to stop with the lighting bolt.." She stood up, growing angry. "..and you chose not to tell anyone?"

Colton looked at her angrily. "WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO?!" he asked. "I didn't want to cause a damn panic, Annabeth! Like, for god's sake, you'd probably do the same thing if someone told you that war was coming soon."

Annabeth wanted to open her mouth to speak, but she couldn't, so she sat back down, looking very grumpy. Percy tried to calm her down, but Colton didn't pay them much mind, he just kept talking.

"I guess I was still in denial when this summer started, to be honest though" he continued. "I didn't put two and two together and made the connection that the Colchis Bull attack and Kayla's arrival meant that my prophecy was finally starting until after I passed out the first time."

Kayla's heart skipped a beat for some reason, she didn't know why. But what she did know now was that she was the girl in his prophecy, she was certain of it. But that meant eventually, she was going to fall in love and kiss him.

She looked at the skies in disbelief to be honest. She had figured that there could be some very cute guys to hang out with and fall for, but it seems that fate had already decided who she would end up with. It was like a very weird way of saying you're soulmates with another person, and she didn't really like it at all.

"Look.. I get how you all feel. I myself am still partially trying to process this even now.." Colton stated, being completely honest with everyone else, who looked at him with shock, fear, uncertainty, and dread. "It's hard really.. to know that you're going to be swept up in a war eventually and you're only like a teenager or pre-teen or just a kid, not an adult."

Clarisse simply put her hand on his shoulder. "Well look Colton.." she started. "We're here for you.. we can help you through this."

Kayla gently tugged his sleeve, and when he turned to look at her, she gave him a gentle, warm look, signaling that she would also help. He smiled, and that warmed her heart, even if she still couldn't believe that eventually, this man was who she would fall for.

"Thank Clarisse.. thanks Kayla.. thanks my siblings.." he said, tears in his eyes a little bit. "You all are the best."

"So do you have any idea about how the rest of the prophecy is going to play out or anything?" Lee asked, drawing Colton's attention over to him.

"As of now, apart from what I do know, no I'm not certain.. prophecies are confusing for a reason, Lee.." Colton responded. "And look.. I didn't even ask the Oracle for it or anything. She just straight moved her hand and then just told me right then and there."

"Wait.. wait.." Chiron said. "Let me get this straight.. she just outright said it with no prompting at all?"

Colton nodded, and instantly, murmurs and whispers were a-buzz at the campfire over the revelation. Nothing like that had ever happened before.

"I don't know if that fight with Tantalus means I'm one step closer to completing this quest of mine.. for what prize, I do not know.. but if it is, I am definitely not looking forward to my next two fights.." Colton added in. "I can say that much."

"Look.." Percy stated. "You might have to fight against many, but chances are it doesn't have to be alone. You have all of us."

"Yeah, that's right.." Tyson added. "You do."

Colton wanted to believe that was true, but the way the Oracle had spoken his prophecy, he was certain that it wouldn't be the case.

"Yeah.. I do.." he started, trailing off. "But I got a feeling that it might be the case."

Gasps of shock and horror filled the camp, but were silenced when a familiar look of rage and anger filled Colton's face.

"I don't even know what in the gods I even did to deserve this.. but if this is how the Fates want to play with my life, then I can assure them that I'm going to fight my way through to the end, no matter what it takes.." he declared. "I swear it on the River Styx."

He stood up, fists clenched and then shouted at the sky. "YOU WANT TO TAKE THE ONLY FAMILY I HAVE LEFT IN THIS WORLD AWAY FROM ME, KRONOS?! THEN YOU CAN GO FUCK YOURSELF!"

No one bothered to call him out for the language he used in that, they were all stunned. This was a whole new side of Colton, and one that they definitely had very mixed feelings about. Colton sat back down on the log next to Kayla, looking like he was preparing for the long road ahead. She held her hand out, and he took it in his, not letting go. When he spoke again, his voice was quieter now, but no less determined. "If this is what my life is going to come down to, so be it. I lost both of my parents to that Lydian Drakon, I have yet to receive word on whether any of my extended family is living, and now here comes a war. At least finally, I seem to have a chance of getting out of this shitty hand life has dealt me up to now.. because seriously.. I'm far stronger now than what I was when I first came here.." he said, tears in his eyes again. Kayla wrapped her other arm around him to hug him too, a chorus of adoring coos and gasps rising up from the crowd.

Clarisse and Sherman then hugged him too, before the rest of the camp, except Chiron and Mr. D, joined in. Colton just smiled brighter than a Christmas Tree with lights all over it. It was a testament to how much Camp Half Blood was his family now. It was a very touching moment, since it signified that no matter what Luke and Kronos were planning, they would all face it together.

Up at Olympus, many of the gods couldn't help but smile and have tears in their eyes from how cute and adorable the scene was. Hera, Ares, Athena, Poseidon, Apollo, Demeter, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes.. all of them couldn't help but enjoy the scene below. Most of all Hera, who simply burst into tears of joy upon seeing it.

- — - — - — - — -

"So she's sleeping with you because she can't sleep without you? That's why you've taken my bed? Seriously?" Clarisse asked Colton, partly amused at this change in circumstances. She had read the note Colton left her that informed her about Kayla's nightmares and that she was now sleeping in the Ares Cabin with him, which Chiron had accepted after she had taken the note to him.

The two siblings just stood on either end of the doorway to the head counselor's room, which was basically cluttered with stuff from both Clarisse and Colton now. Kayla was laying in the bed, waiting for Colton to get in and under the covers with her.

"Yes.. what was I supposed to do? The girl has been traumatized by birds, snakes, and Tantalus since she's arrived.. and guess who's done the leg work in calming her down each time? Me.. so yes.. she sleeps with me.. in your bed.. you don't like it, welcome to the new reality Clarisse.." Colton said back to her. Clarisse threw up her hands in bewilderment, before sighing.

"Okay.. fine.. I'm sleeping on the floor then.. since this is my room.." she said, before leaving. "..and keep the door open until I get back."

He wasn't expecting his sister to return, with Sherman helping her carry a mattress into the room, which she propped down on the floor on Colton's side of the bed to sleep on, but that night.. with the Golden Fleece reversing the damage on Thalia's tree, he slept with Kayla practically snuggling into her hero, and with Clarisse under two blankets, head resting on two pillows while she slept on top of the mattress on the floor.

He stared up at the ceiling and sighed.

This is my new reality, huh, he thought to himself. Somehow, I feel like that this is only going to get weirder before this is over.

He had no way of knowing how close to the truth he was in thinking that, which is to say..

..incredibly accurate.

(A/N: So Colton comes clean, Percy and the group are back, Chiron's back, and the campers have a moment of unity. One more chapter and the first arc of the story is complete.

I hope you all enjoy that moment of family there I put in because hey, like they are each other's family, whether they like it or not.

The gods, as stated by Riordan, may not have DNA, but that doesn't stop the demigods from being considered practically each other's family since they all come from the same family due to ancestry. That's just how I see it to be honest.

But yeah.. slowly but surely, Colton and Kayla are becoming closer. It's only a matter of time..)