The Next Generation: A Percy Jackson Kane Chronicles Crossover EDITING

Everything Gets Worse: Sarah POV

After Corin and Eva left, Robin decided she wasn't in the mood for anime. "I can't enjoy Death Note or Black Butler when I'm worried," she said guiltily. I told her it was alright and sent her to bed. Then next came Bleu who was having an internal war on what to be most upset about: his spilled Cocoa Puffs or Eva and Corin not needing his help. I helped him pick them up, one by one.

"We'll get you more tomorrow," I said trying to comfort him. When I saw the expression of extreme disappointment on his face I changed tactic. "There's Cheerios somewhere, I think," I offered with a shrug.

"Cheerios is not the breakfast of champions," he said sadly, looking longingly at the empty Cocoa Puffs box. "Or the midnight snack, either." Then he sulked off to his bedroom, looking very depressed. I sighed and closed my eyes, letting my tiredness wash over me. Long day, I thought to myself. A small cough alerted me to another presence. Finally, it was me and Jace, alone. He had been leaning against the wall, his gold eyes shining like a cat's as he watched me and Bleu pick up the brown pieces of cereal.

"You're still mad at me." It wasn't a question.

"Yes," I said stiffly. I got slowly to my feet and turned to face him. He was looking at me with the utmost annoyance.

He rolled his eyes. "Pray tell, why are you so mad at me about this? Was it really that horrible?" I stared at him incredulously and I felt my cheeks start to burn with anger.

"YES, it was horrible!" I almost shouted, but hurriedly turned it into a whisper. His lips thinned into a straight line at this and suddenly he was only making eye contact with the floor. "I had to watch you love me when you really don't!"

Jace laughed darkly. "Oh you think that was horrible?" Jace took a quick breath and tried to steady his voice, "Do you have any idea what that was like—watching you? Do you know how frustrating it was to watch through someone else's eyes? It wasn't me, and you kissed him! And you want him!" I was so momentarily shocked by this statement I almost sat down.

"I tried SO HARD to get you back!" I shrieked at him, losing all pretense of having a civil conversation. "You saw it!"

"Please, you would have kept that other 'Jace' if you didn't have a choice."

"Maybe I would have!" I saw him flinch, like I had punched him. "Just look what caring about you has got me!" Even as I said it, I felt guilty. I was about to apologize immediately but he cut me off.

"You are so head over heels for someone who isn't even real and you expect me to feel sorry for you?" His voice was harsh and his words stung even if they weren't true.

"It was never him I saw, Jace!" I snarled back. I hadn't planned on saying that but it was too late to take it back. So I let the words spill out. "To me, it was you telling me all this stuff, it was you! And I knew it wasn't real, I knew but it got to me anyways and I hate myself for that. I thought it was you, okay?" I pressed my hands against my pounding temples. "You think it was frustrating for you? I knew it wasn't real, I knew, but I still hoped and I'm so terribly sorry for hoping."

His face was the definition of shocked, like he had never expected me to say anything like that in my life. "I—," he began, but I cut him off.

"But the thing is—the thing that makes this entirely your fault—is that you knew. You knew it would happen; you know what love gods are like!" My voice had risen louder with every syllable to block out the words Jace had been trying to interject with.

Jace usually didn't turn colors when he was mad, that was me, but he looked distinctly pink in the face as he yelled back, "Cupid would have shot me anyways!"