𝒎𝒊𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒍 - 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒚 𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒙 𝒐𝒄

¸„.-•~*°˜¨ 𝑭𝑶𝑼𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑬𝑵 ¨˜ˆ°*~•-.„¸

At the edge of the dump, they found a tow truck so old it might've been thrown away itself. But the engine started, and it had a full tank of gas, so they decided to borrow it. 

Thalia drove. She didn't seem as stunned as Zoe, Grover, Phoenix, and Percy. 

"The skeletons are still out there," she reminded them. "We need to keep moving." 

She navigated them through the desert, under clear blue skies, the sand so bright it hurt to look at. 

Zoe sat up front with Thalia. Grover, Phoenix, and Percy sat in the pickup bed, leaning against the tow wench. Phoenix (of course) laid her head on Percy's shoulder. The air was cool and dry, but the nice weather just seemed like an insult after losing Bianca. 

Percy's hand closed around the little figurine that had cost her life. He still couldn't even tell what god it was supposed to be. Nico would know. Oh, gods... what was he going to tell Nico? He wanted to believe that Bianca was still alive somewhere. But he had a bad feeling that she was gone for good. 

"It should've been me," Percy said, causing Phoenix to lift her head and look at him. "I should've gone into the giant."

"Don't say that!" Grover panicked. "It's bad enough Annabeth is gone, and now Bianca. Do you think I could stand it if..." He sniffled. "Do you think anybody else would be my best friend?" 

"Ah, Grover..." He wiped under his eyes with an oily cloth that left his face grimy, like he had on war paint. "I'm... I'm okay." But he wasn't okay. Ever since the encounter in New Mexico—whatever had happened when that wild wind blew through—he seemed really fragile, even more emotional than usual. Percy was afraid to talk to him about it, because he might start bawling. 

Percy looked over at Phoenix, who was tracing the patches in her jeans with her finger. 

"I saw it." Phoenix said. "I knew it was coming, I couldn't stop it."

Percy scooted closer to her. "I know," He nodded. "It's okay Phee, it's how it had to be."

Phoenix wiped a tear from her face. "I just wish I could be more helpful. I could've known sooner or I could have better powers to stop it. I just feel worthless. Nobody needs my shitty healing powers, they barely heal anything." Phoenix's voice faded away. "I don't know. I just want to be better."

"Phoenix, look at me." Percy said and she did. "You are the best person I know. You are funny, smart, beautiful, nice. You are a great person and I could care less about how powerful you are. And I think everyone here would agree." 

"Thank you, Percy." Her voice cracked and a small smile lay on her face. Percy nodded, putting his arm around her and pressing a kiss to her temple before she laid her head on his shoulder.

Percy thought about his conversation with Aphrodite. How she told him that he loved her and how he lied when he said he didn't. Percy loved Phoenix more than anything. He didn't know how to tell her and he didn't know if he really wanted her to know. But Phoenix was his universe. She was one of the only people that could really make him happy. If he was being completely honest, he didn't want her on the quest. He didn't want to risk losing her. But he knew she had to save her brother and Annabeth. As much as he would hate to say it Percy was sure Phoenix would survive because he knew that Apollo loved Phoenix. But then again, they had already met him twice. That didn't mean the death would be purposeful...

Percy was snapped out of his thoughts when the tow truck ran out of gas at the edge of a river canyon. That was just as well, because the road dead-ended. Thalia got out and slammed the door. Immediately, one of the tires blew.