Marcus stared out over the lake, ignoring the chill of the night. He knew Alicia was probably still wandering the Camp. He knew Aaron and Hunter were at the training grounds, taking out their anger on the training dummies. He knew that if he turned, he would see Maddie talking to the moon, and he knew that tonight, the topic of conversation wouldn't be a happy one. She had the right to know... no matter what the others say. But no matter how much he tried to convince himself, a part of him still believed he should have kept it a secret from Maddie. She's a half-blood... She has to know that leaving Camp sometimes has a price... Marcus blinked, feeling the tears start again but refusing to let them fall. Kelly deserved better than his tears. The tears of the friend who'd failed to protect her.

"You're much too hard on yourself Marcus."

Marcus stiffened. That voice... His grief flashed to rage. How dare she show herself now! Marcus spun with a snarl on his face.

"What do you want, Aphrodite?"

The Goddess of Love was perched on the picnic table behind him, dressed as if she were just another camper, but Marcus knew better than to be fooled. She wasn't here to blend in. She was here for a reason.

"Marcus, you shouldn't be angry with me." Aphrodite chided, her arms crossed, resting on her knees. "I'm not to blame for what happened. It seems I'm always saying that to you." Aphrodite met Marcus' eyes, regret seeming to creep into her voice.

"No, it's your son's." Marcus didn't think he could get angrier, but the thought of Eros's nonchalant attitude at what he had wrought made him burn.

Aphrodite shook her head sadly. "Oh, my Marcus... We both know that isn't the truth..."

"Don't. Don't you dare try to tell me it's neither of your faults. We wouldn't have even been there if you hadn't given us that quest, and if it wasn't for Eros, Kelly... Kelly wouldn't be..." Marcus' voice cracked, and he stopped. He couldn't say it. He knew it was the truth, but he couldn't say it out loud. Couldn't admit it was true.

Aphrodite looked at him with nothing but pity written on her face. "Marcus, allow me to enlighten you to some facts you may not be aware of. Your group of half-bloods was not the first to be given that same 'lesson' by my son. Harsh it may be, but love is nothing if not brutal. Even the legendary Nico di Angelo had to face my son's lessons. And he walked away nearly unscathed."

"Nico di Angelo was a child of Hades! One of the Big Three!" Marcus started losing himself in his anger, and he stepped closer to Aphrodite. "He's a legend for a reason! His powers were off the charts! He wasn't-"

"A child of a Minor God?" Aphrodite cocked her head to the side, her hair spilling over her shoulder as she met Marcus's eyes.

Marcus stopped in his tracks. Did he really believe that? Did he honestly believe that if Kelly had been the child of an Olympian, she wouldn't have...? No. He knew better. He knew that just because they were more naturally gifted, Olympian children weren't better than his friends. Than Kelly. Marcus stared of Aphrodite, and he knew he was playing right into her hands, even if he couldn't help it. Damn Goddess...

"You see Marcus? If it wasn't because he was the child of an Olympian, why else would Nico have survived? Could it have been that my son's methods, while more painful than I would personally use, aren't meant to be fatal? And if we follow that line of thought..."

"I get it alright?! I get it !" Marcus turned away again, not even able to look at the Goddess any longer. He knew if he did, he would do something he would regret.

"I'm sorry Marcus, but that's not good enough." Aphrodite's voice was clear and close, and Marcus felt her leaning against him, her breath against his ear. "You need to say it. To accept it, you need to admit it."

Marcus shook his head, clenching his jaw. He wouldn't say it. He couldn't. He knew what he'd seen, he knew the proof was there, but to say it... It would be a betrayal.

"No Marcus, to deny the truth would be a betrayal." Aphrodite's voice spoke in his other ear. "A betrayal of Kelly. She deserves the truth, don't you think?"

"Yes..." Marcus's voice came out, barely above a whisper.

"Then you must say it. Hold on to your anger if you must but realize that the one to blame for Kelly's death isn't me. It isn't my son." Aphrodite's voice was hypnotic. She put her hand on top of Marcus'. "You could not lay blame at all. After all, it isn't as if he meant to. But if there is someone to blame..."

"There isn't." Marcus said, defeated. He felt the anger flow out of him, and he hung his head. "There isn't one single aspect to blame for what happened to Kelly. It was the perfect disaster."

Aphrodite stepped in front of Marcus, tilting his chin up so they were eye to eye. "There. Doesn't that feel better Marcus?"

"No." Marcus bit off the word, not trusting himself to speak any more.

Aphrodite smiled at him. "Still stubborn, aren't you? That's one of the things I just can't get over about you, my Marcus. I just can't help but try to change your mind, and you can't help but fight me on it."

Marcus scoffed. "You haven't yet. I don't know why you still try." A chill crept into Aphrodite's smile, and her finger on his chin stiffened. He could feel the barely contained power that lay there, and it filled him with a sense of gratification. You're not the only one who knows how to play with emotions Aphrodite.

"Oh, don't be too sure Marcus. After all, I told you things wouldn't work between you and your Leash, didn't I?" Aphrodite allowed her finger to trail down Marcus's neck and across his shoulder as she stepped to his side. "You fought my will. And you lost."

"And I'm still not giving in to what you wanted." Marcus turned his head to meet Aphrodite's gaze. "I'm not chasing Chastity."

Aphrodite laughed lightly. "Oh, don't I know it. I'm getting tired of hearing how hard you've fallen for your little psycho in the minds of everyone who cares to pay attention, even if Chastity hasn't. Not that I don't see the appeal..."

"Don't."

"What's wrong? I am the Goddess of all kinds of love, my Marcus, but I am honestly so fed up with hearing the thoughts ringing through all these boys' minds about your little-"

Marcus spun on Aphrodite. "That's enough!"

Aphrodite simply met his anger with a smile. "Fine, fine. I won't use that word if it bothers you so much. But you must admit, you certainly know how to pick them."

"What are you talking about?" Marcus grumbled, turning away from Aphrodite and walking to the picnic table, if only to have something to take his focus from the Goddess.

He was thwarted again though, for as soon as he got to the table, Aphrodite was again perched there watching him. "Well, first you decided to chase a daughter of Angelos." Even Marcus could hear the disdain in her voice when she mentioned the Guardian Goddess of the Underworld.

"She was fine until you made her become-"

"Oh Marcus, a little jealousy never hurt anybody. It's not my fault she took it so far." Aphrodite flicked her hand. "And while I can't deny the appeal of Ares... I really don't understand your affection for your... Maddie."

Marcus opened his mouth to respond but movement behind Aphrodite caught his eye. His heart sank as, in the moonlight, he saw the worst possible scenario happen right before his eyes. Standing less than ten feet from them, well within earshot, with shock, betrayal, and tears clear on her face, was Alicia.

Present...

Marcus couldn't believe his eyes. Over a year of wondering what had happened to his friends, his family, and here was the head of the group, standing above him. Marcus took in the sight. There was Aaron, looking like a true Child of Victory, golden chest plate armor seeming to cast its own light in the shadows of the warehouse, his blade at his side, not using any tricks of the Mist to hide it.

"Aaron?" Marcus said again. "Is it really you?"

"What, forget what I look like already?" Aaron said. Taking a step forward, Aaron casually walked off the ledge of the warehouse office. The drop that Marcus had had to catch himself on fake walls to avoid being injured taking, and was still lucky to have gotten away from, Aaron simply stepped through, landing as if he had taken no more than a single step down a stair.

"Aaron!" Maddie cried, a smile lighting up her face. She tried to run past Marcus to Aaron, but some inner instinct caused Marcus to hold her back. She looked at Marcus, her eyes questioning, but Marcus didn't dare take his eyes off Aaron. Something isn't right...

Aaron raised an eyebrow at Marcus. "Protective as ever I see. Won't even let her near another guy."

"Aaron, what happened to you?" Marcus said softly. "Where did you go? Where have you been?"

"So many questions." Aaron answered, casually walking to where Isaac had been brought down and kneeling next to him. "I appreciate you both showing restraint with my friends."

"Friends?!" Jason's voice cried out from behind Marcus. He had honestly forgotten they were there.

"Oh Marcus... Have you not told... what are they, our replacements? It seems like something they should know." Aaron said with a smirk. "But we both know how you love your secrets..."

Before Marcus could say another word, an arrow seemed to fly out of nowhere towards Aaron. Marcus saw the glint of the light from Aaron's armor reflect off the arrowhead just before it seemingly found its mark. Phillip! With seemingly no effort, Aaron snatched the arrow out of the air before it reached him. With a sigh, Aaron twirled the arrow between his fingers.

"Nice try," Aaron said, standing and tossing the arrow aside, "but learn more from your father before you try that again, child of Apollo."

"What?!" Maddie cried out, for a moment seeming to forget the situation at hand.

Aaron laughed, but his laugh wasn't the one Marcus remembered. It wasn't clear and bright, it was harsh, with hints of scorn and pity.

"Wow. Looks like Marcus isn't the only one of you keeping their secrets. When were you going to tell them?" Aaron turned to his right, smirking at Phillip from the position he had taken in the shadows. "I could tell the moment I saw you. Although, I've learned how to keep my senses open for Olympian children." Aaron seemed to spit the last two words, filling them with as much spite as he could.

"Maddie, get them out of here." Marcus said, stepping between Aaron and the rest of the group.

"Marcus please, have some faith in me." Aaron said, walking over to where Billy lay and picking him up onto his shoulder. "You showed my friends mercy, and so I shall do the same. I'll give you one chance to leave peacefully."

The group looked at each other, not knowing what to do. Whether to trust him, or whether to fight. Marcus nodded at them over his shoulder, and the group slowly started to back away from Aaron, not quite trusting him. But Marcus didn't move. He couldn't. He's there... after so long he's right there!

"Go, Marcus." Aaron said, not meeting Marcus' eyes. "Go warn your Camp. Tell them not to get in our way."

"'Our' way...? Aaron tell me what's going on!" Marcus cried, taking a step forward. He froze, as in that split-second Aaron had pulled his sword, aiming its blade at Marcus.

"I'm showing you mercy, Marcus. Don't make me go back on it..." Aaron finally met Marcus' eyes, and Marcus could see the anguish there. "It was good to see you again. I hope next time... Well, let's hope that if there is a next time, it's for a better reason."

The light from Aaron's armor grew brighter and brighter until it was blinding, and Marcus had to shield his eyes. Calling Aaron's name, Marcus ran forward, but he was too late. In a flash, the light disappeared, and where Aaron had been standing with Billy and Isaac at his feet, the warehouse was empty, dark, and cold.

Marcus stood silently, alone again. He closed his eyes, jaw and fists clenched. Like so many times this past year, the thoughts crossed his mind.

What's going on? Where are you now?

Alicia.

Hunter.

Aaron...

Marcus spun on his heel and stormed out of the warehouse, where the rest of the group where waiting.

"Marcus, who was that?!" Elliot asked. "He said he was friends with those two other guys! I shoulda bear formed on him!"

Marcus spun towards Elliot, about to lash out, but before he could do anything, Maddie caught his arm. Turning, he met Maddie's eyes. There he saw his own confusion reflected, as well as sadness.

"Marcus, you have to tell them..." Maddie said quietly.

"If you don't, I will." Chastity said. "But, as much as I hate to admit it, they should hear it from you."

Marcus sighed, knowing that it would come out now, no matter what he did. Better leave out some of the... worst details.

"His name is Aaron." Marcus said. "And he's like a brother to me."