One Shots: A Percy Jackson Story

Run (Thaluke)

For: @Greenninjagal

New Jersey 2415

Halloween.

Brisk air, clear, starry skies, and a shinning silver full moon. Pumpkins carved and illuminating the light with a warm glow. For some people it's their favorite time of year, dressed up in costumes, and knocking on neighbor doors with a smile, and a chorus of: "Trick or Treat!"

Not for Thalia Grace.

For her, this time of year represented her struggles.

Her ghosts.

She didn't have many, a matter a fact, she only had one ghost. And she did not want to run into him. After all these long, tired years, she didn't think she had the strength to deal with him. What old, tired, Thalia Grace didn't know, was that a blast from the past was exactly what she needed.

So when all the hunters were given the night off in New Jersey, Thalia didn't want to join in the festivities.

She walked around the town, her head low, and her hair streaming in her face; the hood of her silver parka pulled over her head and her hands tucked into the pockets. Her bow weighed heavy on her right arm as she held it in her hand, and her arrows clicked against one another in their quiver as she walked, her eyes focused on the pavement in front of her.

She step sided two young boys, one dressed as superman and the other batman, as they giggled and chased each other along the side walk, two older girls shouting from behind for them to slow down and running to catch up. Thalia barely looked up.

She passed the train station, walking out of the main part of town and to the large green filed right across, dotted with benches and strange metal sculptures of modern art. Silly string costed the bushes, and candy wrappers littered the grass.

Thalia sighed. She found a bench, brushed off some silly string, and leaned against the backing and closed her tired, tired eyes.

"Stop avoiding me."

Thalia snapped open her eyes and vaulted off the bench. There he was. Just as she remembered him. Not as they remembered him. He was fourteen, his blonde hair light and badly needed a trim, and his blue eyes were shinning. His hands were folded over his lap, and his form flickered occasionally.

"What in the name of hades are you doing here?" She demanded, gripping her knuckles as they turned white with rage. Luke smiled sadly, not moving from the bench.

"Here to see you of course, it's All Hallow's Eve and I get a free pass to the mortal world. Who else am I supposed to visit?"

"How about Annabeth? She doesn't hate you." Lies. Thalia knew it was a lie, in fact it was quite the opposite, but she couldn't say that. It would be going against the oath she'd been betraying from the very beginning.

"Am I supposed to believe you do?" He chuckled, Thalia sharply turned around, and began to march off across the field, leaving Luke on the bench.

"Avoiding the question I see." Thalia recoiled as Luke materialized in front of her, taking steps back. "Don't wanna admit you don't hate me." It was much more then that, and both of them knew it. Thalia crossed her arms.

"I don't hate you."

"See! Was that very hard to say." Luke's face split into a smile, holding her arms up.

"What do you want from me." Demanded Thalia, jabbing her finger in Luke's chest.

"Can't I say hi to my old and only friend?" Complained Luke, and Thalia stared at him pointy until he finally responded. "I missed you."

"Well you've seen me, now go shoo back to the underworld..." She trailed off, and sighed, "No, actually, just stay."

Thalia sounded exasperated. And she was tired. So, so tired. She just wanted to close her eyes and drift away. But the hunters held her strong, and as much as she loved them, she was four hundred and seven years old and she was tired indeed.

But seeing Luke after all these years gave her a small boost, like a shot of expresso, managed to keep her old tired eyes open a bit longer.

Luke smiled, and fell step in step with Thalia as the two walked in silence across the field, shoulders brushing. Luke grasped Thalia's hand in his own, and Thalia didn't pull away.

Their feet crushed against the grass, and wrappers under foot. And they walked. They walked and they walked.

And out of nowhere, Luke turned his head, and brushed his lips lightly against her cheek, and her face got hot. Searing hot, burning pain on the glint of silver that was streaked across her forehead as she gasped and it burned with white hot pain.

"Thals-Thalia!" shouted Luke, gripping her hand tight as she stiffened from the pain. The final crack in her half broken vow.

The silver lines that swirled across her forehead when the pain stopped, and the A in the center that marked her, branded her.

"I-I'm fine." She exhaled, steadying herself, "Though on the other hand..." silver whisps of smoke curled off her skin and a retched burning smell filled the air, a hunting horn echoes in the distance. "I've been kicked out... Probabky gonna combust by morning. " She looked back up at Luke with a crooked smile, "What am I going to do." Sleep, said the voice in her head, After four hundred years you can finally sleep. Not yet though...

Luke returned her smile, squeezing her hand gently as he walked faster tugging her along with him, "What we always did." A smile crossed both of their faces as they picked up their pace, "Run."

(Roll Credits)