PJO/HoO Oneshots and Headcannons

Never Meant to Be

I never forgot. Never. Ever since I died, I'd never miss going there. Everyday. I'd sit there for hours, forget where I was, and realize my shirt was soaked with tears- my tears. I'd watch, silently, hating myself for not being able to cross the border. Elysium was a prison.

I'd stand by the gate. Sobbing as I heard the heart wrenching screams. I'd just stand there. Unable to do anything. Hating myself for it. Hating everyone for it. Hating the Fates. The Fields of Punishment was torture. And I knew that one person didn't belong there. He shouldn't have been placed there. He saved everybody.

I watch as the jailer is merciless. I want to close my eyes, but there's no point. I can't see because of my tears anyway. I hear the scream and I sob harder, if possible. Is this what the people who are punished have to go through for eternity? I feel like every lash of the jailers whip hits me, even though I'm just watching. I can't bear to leave though. I have to see him. I have to see him. I wonder if it's possible to be beyond miserable in Elysium, because I definitely am.

I hear another heart wrenching scream and I slam against the barrier. Over and over again. I have to reach him. I have to. Another scream propels me faster, I slam again and again, my shoulder throbbing. I slam against the barrier again, as hard as I can fuelled by pure determination. I have to get to him. I have to. Suddenly I pass through the barrier, my momentum for another thrust causing me to almost fall over.

I run, tears coming fast. I can't process it. I broke through the barrier. I broke through the barrier. I run blindly, towards the screams, toward the torture, with no plan in mind. Just one thought. I have to save him. I don't care what he did, I'd thought about it for hours and I'd realized... I'd realized I didn't care. He didn't deserve this. I didn't think anyone did.

Another scream, and I almost fell in my hurry. It wasn't from him though, it was someone else. I ran and ran, finally reaching the edge of the lava pit. There I saw him, he was screaming in pain from the lava, and something else. Something that I couldn't see. Something that was his worst fear. Something that terrified him more than anything in the world.

I could barely make out what he was saying. My heart hurt more than ever, and I finally began to grasp what he was most afraid of. The thing terrified him the most.

"Thalia! Annabeth! No! I never meant to hurt you! I-I was trying to make the world a better place! You-you were my family!"

"Thalia! NO! I-I, I'm sorry... Please..."

"Annabeth! Why?! I never meant t-to hurt you!"

"Thalia, please, tell her... I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry! I-I-I didn't think,"

"Thalia! Thalia, please! Please! I'm sorry! W-w-we were family remember? Please, Thalia."

"You-you believe me?"

"THALIA! Thalia, please..."

I cry, the tears evaporating as they fall off my chin. My heart hurts more than ever, like it's broken even further. I can barely think. I have to get him out. I have to.

Without thinking I run into the lava, my calves burning so hard I can't feel them. The pain is nothing compared to my heart. Nothing. I run across, my stride getting slower and slower the deeper I go.

I finally reach him. My neck is submerged in the lava, and subconsciously I realize that the only reason I'm not dead is because I'm already dead. The pain is making it hard to breathe, but I notice that the lava is only up to his shoulders, he's always been taller than me.

I grasp his shoulders, and instantly, I see what he's been seeing. It's Annabeth and me. We're both bruised and bloody. Sneering at him, Annabeth is enraged, and I look steely and unforgiving.

"As if I'd believe your lies. You're a traitor. I can't believe I ever thought of you as a brother." The other me says, sneering menacingly.

"Ha. I'm not a stupid child like you thought I was. I'd never trust you." The mean Annabeth smirks.

"I-I never thought you were a stupid child, Annabeth. You we-were always smart. That-t's why I gave you your dagger." He stammers, shivering.

"Or," Mean Annabeth starts, "You could have wanted me to get hurt, and not be able to defend myself."

"NO! Th-that's n-not why! You are s-smart Annabeth! T-Thalia, I-I'm really s-sorry!" His face is pleading and scared from pain and fear. His emotions wash over me as I keep in contact, leaving me feeling washed out.

I tap his shoulder, and he doesn't notice. I tap harder, and he still doesn't turn. I grab his chin with my right hand, and jerk it to face me.

"T-Thalia?" His eyes are bleary and unfocused, but his face is slightly hopeful."T-Thalia, I-I I'm sorry! I-"

I pull him into a kiss, tears like rivers running down my cheeks.

"Luke. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't your fault." I sob harder, my hand running through his hair. "I missed you so much."

"Thalia." His happy face turns dark again. "You shouldn't be here. You should be in Elysium."

"Come with me. You didn't deserve this! Come back with me!" I ask desperately, dreading his response.

"Thalia. This is my punishment. I can't leave. I deserve this." There are tears in his eyes.

"No-"

"Thalia. The Titan War was my fault. It's my fault so many people died. It's my fault Kronos almost awakened. It's my fault. I know it is. I deserve this, you don't. You should go." His voice trembles but holds steady.

"I'm staying here until you come back with me!" I say rashly. "You don't deserve this. It isn't your fault. If you didn't do it someone else would've!"

"Thalia, you should go. You don't want a Fury to have to escort you back to Elysium." He says avoiding my eyes.

"Luke. Please." He looks me in the eyes and gives me a sad smile. He whistles loudly, then turns straight to me.

"I'm sorry, Thals. We were never meant to be." He kisses me softly, and turns away as a Fury grabs me.

"Luke! LUKE! LUKE!" I'm screaming myself hoarse. My throat is filled with tears and I can barely breathe. All I can see is Luke staring sadly up at me, mouthing the words.

We were never meant to be.