Goodnight Moon ↣ P. Jackson + A. Chase

2.20

The morning sprung a new dawn, a series of darling pink and yellow lights at the horizon visible amongst the skyscrapers of Manhattan. The streets were shadowed and empty, but it wasn't cold. 

She hadn't seen Apollo leave with the morning, but she hadn't noticed much after returning to the party with renewed energy and a bounce in her steps as Annabeth had shot out a hand to her the moment that she approached to invite her to dance. 

They had spun and jumped the three of them on and off all night, darting around minor gods and other demigods that approached them for a dance. 

At one point, right before the sun was set to rise and Argus was meant to come to pick them up, and Percy and Annabeth had gone their separate ways to do a few last-minute details, Kassandra had allowed herself a moment to stand still and listen to the music. 

The muses, as they played on, allowed them to hear whatever they wanted, she knew that, but she also knew that the song they played now, the one she was certain only she could hear, was meant for her and her alone. This was the song that they wanted her to hear. 

It was complete, the piece, all parts come together to create a full experience that leashed her in and dragged her along desperate to hear more. Kassandra hadn't heard the entirety of Ariel's song played like this since she lost her friend. She thought she was never going to hear it again when she had it sacrificed to her father. 

If she closed her eyes, she could remember each step, each facing twirl and flicker of movement that her friend had painstakingly choreographed. It was the greatest dance that Ariel had ever complete and her friend will never get another chance to choreograph a better one. 

She approached them slowly, uncertain. She watched them play for a moment, allowing herself a moment to enjoy the experience.

Thalia approached her first. Placing down the instrument that flickered in and out of focus to walk the few steps to her side. 

Neither said anything for a moment, and Kassandra simply took the chance to look at the goddess. Her hand twitched at her side, aching to grasp the flute that was no longer there.  

"I'm sorry I couldn't save Ariel," she blurts out. "It's my fault she's gone. I knew better, I should have kept my distance to keep her safe." 

Thalia, with all of her beautiful, joyous air, smiled this tragically sad smile that made Kassandra want to break apart into tears. The goddess laid a hand on her shoulder, brushing down the length of her arm to link their fingers. 

"Thank you, Kassandra, for bringing such joy and laughter into the life of my daughter. You were her dearest friend and you fought for her bravely until the very end," Thalia says, squeezing her fingers.

"I should have done more. I should have been faster or smarter. I- I wasn't enough to save her." 

"Don't blame yourself. There was nothing more that you could have done," Thalia comforts. "My daughter asked me to make sure that you didn't stay sad at the end. She wanted you to know not to worry about her, that she planned to go for rebirth. Ariel wanted to be more like you." 

"Like me?" she repeats in a broken whisper. "I got her killed." 

"That is not how either of us saw it. What you did was inspire my daughter to be a better, wonderfully joyful person," Thalia says. "Her final prayer to me was a wish to watch after her dearest friend. She didn't want you to blame yourself." 

A sharp breath escaped her. "She..." she trails off, shaking her head. "Then I hope the fates allow me to meet her again. I'll make sure that things go right this time."