He Stoll My Heart - Connor Stoll.

Ch.19: The End of Summer.

A/N: This chapter takes place during TLO, ch.23 ("We say goodbye, sort of").

Happy birthday, Piper💕!! I will write you a love story, I promise. (03/06)

- - -

Over the next two weeks, Camp Half-Blood started to change decor.

Trying to keep her mind off their uncountable losses and her frustration towards her mother's cryptic clues, Rose helped out the best she could, at times helping build the new cabins, at others taking up shifts in medical.

Grover had taken over the satyr seekers and was sending them out across the world to find unclaimed half-bloods. So far, the gods have kept their promise. New demigods were popping up all over the place—not just in America, but in a lot of other countries as well.

The U-shape of the cabins would soon be a complete rectangle, and the demigods had really taken to the new task with gusto.

Nico had some undead builders working on the Hades cabin. Even though he was still the only kid in it, it was going to look pretty cool: solid obsidian walls with a skull over the door and torches that burned with green fire twenty-four hours a day.

Next to that were the cabins of Iris, Nemesis, Hecate, and several others. They kept adding new ones to the blueprints every day. It was going so well, Annabeth and Chiron were talking about adding an entirely new wing of cabins just so they could have enough room.

The Hermes cabin was a lot less crowded now because most of the unclaimed kids had received signs from their godly parents. It happened almost every night, and every night more demigods straggled over the property line with the satyr guides, usually with some nasty monsters pursuing them, but almost all of them made it through.

The Hecate cabin had awakened Rose's curiosity, and she spent a good amount of time around it as she was curious about the magic surrounding her dark green gladius, but she didn't dwell on it too much. She had time. She also hung around there because each stone was engraved with magical writing, and if they were dropped in construction, it would either explode or turn everyone within half a mile into a tree. Rose was there to help sort through those situations. Being a daughter of Demeter/Ceres, she was the only tree able to actually move and communicate with the non-transfigured campers. She actually found it pretty relaxing to be a tree.

As it turned out, in medical, Will and Brina had developed a funny kind of bromance while working together to help the still very injured demigods. Brina was radiant, and people in general seemed to like her more. Her ability to freeze 50 monsters in place in one go probably helped with that.

"Hey, Brie, do any of the cabins feel... familiar to you?" Rose asked her, one day, as she changed a patient's bandage.

Brina sighed, and the air in medical suddenly felt cooler. Not cold, just refreshing. Her powers must've been less effective when she was in a generally better mood. Rose welcomed the fresh air in the still-hot, ending summer days.

"Not in the slightest," she said, "and my father still hasn't claimed me. I don't know what to do."

Rose tied the bandages together and walked over to her and placed her hand on her cold shoulder.

"My powers don't really match with any of the new cabins," said Brina, "maybe Hecate would make the most sense, but m—my mother was mortal. And straight. And I can feel that it isn't Hecate."

Rose nodded solemnly. "I understand. We'll figure things out," she said, pulling her into a refreshing hug.

Brina held her tightly.

"I'm glad I'm your friend, Brina," said Rose. "I was stupid for not talking to you before."

Brina nodded. "I get it," she said. "I'm the weird plant killer kid who seems to be best friends with the actual death kid."

"Still. Your powers don't determine your personality."

"I know. Thank you for seeing past all of it."

- - -

That evening was the last night of camp—the bead ceremony. The Hephaestus cabin had designed the bead this year. It showed the Empire State Building, and etched in tiny Greek letters, spiraling around the image, were the names of all the heroes who had died defending Olympus. There were too many names, but Rose was proud to wear the bead..

"Never forget this summer!" Chiron told them. He had healed remarkably well, but he still trotted in front of the fire with a slight limp. "We have discovered bravery and friendship, and courage this summer. We have upheld the honor of the camp."

He smiled and everybody cheered.

"And now," Chiron said, "early to bed! Remember, you must vacate your cabins by noon tomorrow unless you've made arrangements to stay the year with us. The cleaning harpies will eat any stragglers, and I'd hate to end the summer on a sour note!"

- - -

The next morning, most campers stood at the top of Half-Blood Hill. Buses and vans were pulling away, taking most of the campers back to the real world. A few old-timers would be staying behind, and a few of the newcomers, but Rose was heading back home to go to school. A bit further away, Percy was saying his goodbyes to Annabeth and Rachel, and, for some strange reason, Annabeth even hugged Rachel. Rose decided not to dwell on it too much.

"Do you really have to go?" Connor asked, pouting as his arms were held tight around her, his face in her neck.

"I have school," Rose said softly.

"Ah, well, it can't be helped," Katie said softly, playfully shoving Connor out of her way to hug her sister.

"I'll come back every weekend if I'm not swamped with homework," said Rose. "Either way, we have unlimited Iris Messages, we should use them."

"It's not the same, though," Connor whined, shoving Katie out of the way and hugging Rose again, earning a laugh from both sisters.

"The bus is leaving," Rose told them, giving Connor a peck on the lips and pulling away.

Travis fist-bumped her, and she grinned.

"Our quest wasn't all that fun, but all things considered, it brought us together, so I'm grateful," she said. "I love you guys!"

"We love you too!" Katie shouted as Rose ran down the hill, waving back at them clumsily, not wanting to miss the bus.

"Don't forget me!" Connor shouted jokingly.

"And don't study too hard!" Travis added.

- - -

A/N

Part 2 is officially over!! Can't believe it took me this long to finish it, but to be fair, I was swamped with school and got badly sick. I'm all cured now, but I'm pretty dam exhausted.

Hurray for summer vacations!!!

- GG