Face the past, risk the burn

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Ivy's POV

I walked over, back to the screens, and just stood there, hugging my self. I didn't want to look at Hugo, I just couldn't. I let out a shaky sigh. At least I wasn't sobbing again. I here Hugo walk up behind me, but refuse to turn around and face him. "Ivy." Hugo says softy. I still refuse to look at him. "Please, Ivy." I hear the plea in his voice, the desperation. I shake my head. If I look at him, I'll unravel. If I unravel, I'll have to face the memories that I've been trying to leave behind me. If I do that, I'll have to tell him and watch him turn away and call me crazy, a murderer. And if that happens, I don't know if I could fix my self ever again.
I'm shaking now, from the raw feelings that are in me. I'm not cold, even though in this cave I should be. The memories chime into my mind unwillingly. I hear the fire, feel the burning in my skin. It's like I'm there again, with my parents while the rim around us is in flames. Tara come to my eyes again when I think of there face. There faces aren't full of fear, but love. Love for me, love for each other. In that room, at that moment, they had no fear in them. Even when the flames eat away at the walls, crackling and meeting out burning sparks all around us. Never one did they have fear from the flames. Tears flew down my face. I was shaking even more, my body not being able to handle these memories. I feel hands on my shoulder, but I barely notice.
I know what's coming next in the memory. I feel my self falling, then the crash of glass add the whole building explodes.
Strong and wrap around me and squeeze me to his chest, rubbing my back as the tears fall and the shaking slowly subsides. I lean my head forward on there chest and just sit there, trying to absorb it all. I hadn't been hugged for such a long time, I forgot how nice it felt. We stand there, in the middle of bunker 9, Hugo hugging me and me crying. When the tears finally subside, I step back. Hugo lets me, but still stays closer enough to me that I dint feel alone. I wipe my eyes and look up at him. He had a sweet smile on his face, understanding in his eyes. I know he wants to ask, but is restraining him self. I feel grateful for that, but I know he deserves an answer.
I look down at the ground and say in the strongest voice I can, "I didn't kill them."
I expect Hugo to ask more questions, demand proof, but instead he dies the last thing I expected. He hugs me again. My eyes widen, but I don't push away. I feel his chin in the top of my had, the warmth of his arms around me, and I let my defences fall. "I believe you." He says. I shut my eyes tight and take in his words. No one had said that before, with such density and trust in there voice. No one has believed me, but Hugo had. I don't think I'll ever forget the sound of those words.
He squeezed me tightly, then let's go. I look up at him with a thankful smile. "Thank you." I whisper, and I mean those words, with all my heart. He smiles.
"Well," I say, "guess we should go get Leo." Hugo nods and we make our way over to the door he had gone into.
After speaking to Leo (and beating him seven times on his robo wresting game and losing five times) we made our way back to camp. We made it to the edge of the woods and I looked out at the camp. It looked like every other day at camp, but I could almost feel the tension. I saw campers with their weapons drawn, and never once saw someone walking alone. They were always on groups. It looked like they expected to be attacked, and some were shaking they were so scared. I realized with a shutter that they were afraid of me. I look up at Hugo and Sr the concern on his face. "If I go out there," I say, "I'll be shot down in moments. The campers think they are in danger, and they will take the first strike. Just seeing me could trigger an attack." Hugo nods, agreeing with me.
He looks down at me. "I'll go get some help, maybe some of the seven, and get them to escort you to the big house. No one would dare attack if any of the seven were around." I nod, agreeing. "I'll just sit here and wait, stay out of sight." Hugo nods, but still looks concerned. "Hey," I say, getting his attention. "It will be okay." I reassure him, and I see his face softening. I didn't believe the words completely, but he didn't need to know that. Hugo nods and runs out of the woods, towards the big house. I sit in the bushes playing with some leaves.
Not long after sitting down, I here a notice behind me. My blood runs cold when I hear the sound of a sword being drown. I don't wait to find out what was happening. I roll over on the ground, and a point hits the ground where I had been sitting moments before. I jump up and see my assailant, or more accurately, assailants. There are three I can see, but I can feel there are more hidden in the woods. I don't know how I knew, I just did. The attacker swings their sword again in a deadly ark, but power starts pumping through me. I duck, faster then I knew was physically possible. The swing would have decapitated me, but I just narrowly dodged it.
I crouch on the ground, ready for the next attack. Somehow it seems like they are going in slow motion, but I'm not affected. The whole world slows down around me, and I feel power pump through me. The power feels right, feels like a part of me, like something I had been missing inside my self but never realized it. I look at my attackers and know what I have to do to survive. As the third attacker, one with a mask over their face, swings their sword, I duck under the blow and plow right into their stomach. The power if the push knocks them back and their head slams into a tree, knocking them unconscious. I spin around just in time to see another blade coming down towards me, but like the last it is in slow motion. I dodge to the left. I turn around, ready for the next attack, but I guess I forgot about the first attacker. A rope raps around my neck and squeezes tightly. I can't breeze, and white spots floods through my vision. I claw at the rope, but it is no use. I thrash with my legs, but they are stronger then me. I start to get dizzy, pain shooting through my neck, and I can feel the darkness of unconsciousness flooding around me. But I know that I won't wake up from it. The power I had felt leaves my body, and all I feel is existed, dizzy, and pain. So much pain. I slump back, not able to fight any more, and wait for the world to end. Right as I felt my self start to let go, the rope leaves my neck. I fall to the ground, gasping for breath. It hurts to breath, but it feels so nice. I feel life flood back into me with each breath.
I look back at the assailant, and that's when I see her. The attacker is now on the ground, unconscious, and behind him stands non other then Helena. She stands over the attacker, sword in hand and a fierce fire burning in her eyes. A boy I recognize as Jack comes running behind her. They stand and face the last attacker that they can see. I thought she had won, that they had saved me, but then I felt the five attackers in the woods advancing behind them. My eyes widen. "Behind you!" I rasp out, just as three of them all attack Helena. Jack takes out his own weapon as the other two attack him. I look around for the last attacker but their gone now.
I watch the fight, unable to aid them, and lay there in the ground, helpless. I watch with wide, astonished eyes as Helena fights off her attackers. It's like watching a beautiful dance of death and swords. She moves smoothly, every move speaking of great skill. Jack fights the other two, and start to push him back. I had been watching Jack, but then I here cry of pain that makes my eyes whip back to Helena. She is standing there, panting, and holding her sword arm. I can see red blood leaking through her figures. Her attackers advance, and I can feel the end coming. One of the attackers raises their sword, ready to end this fight with one deadly swing. Their sword falls, and a flash shoots under the blade and I hear metal on metal. I stair with wide eyes at who stopped the sword in mid air. It's Annabeth.
Her knife holds off the sword, Annabeth standing in a perfect stance. I didn't even hear her, she just appeared. The attacker's eyes widen, and the rest of them drop their weapons. Soon we are surounded, but not with enemies but allies. Standing around me, Helena, and Jack stand some of the most skilled fighters I had ever seen. Percy, Jason, Piper, Annabeth, Hazel, Frank, and even Hugo. They all stand in a protective circle around us, and I don't know if I should be afraid of all the power that radiates off of them or be proud that they are protecting me.
Helena stands tall, one hand clasping her bleeding wound. I don't know what to do. They must have heard about the article, so why protect me? This had never happened before, no one had stood so unwavering to protect me. Not since the accident that is. The seven start to grab the attackers while Hugo sees me. His eyes widen and he runs over to steady me as I tried to stand. He looks me up and down and his eyes stop on my neck. I'm sure it must have a large bruise, and it still hurts to breath, but I'm smiling. Jason turns to us. "We need to go and get her to the big house." We all know it, so no one argues.
We make our way to the big house. Hugo's arm is around my shoulder, and the seven (six, Leo is still at the bunker) March the attackers to the big house, where they were to wait for Chiron to talk to them.
We walked through the camp, and our group attracted a lot of attention. They looked at us with aw and confusion, but when they saw me their whole posture changed. Some would hide, some grab their weapons, ready for an attack, some just plain running away, but the ones that scared me the most were the ones who gave me murderous looks, wielding their weapons and pointing them at me. Some saw my raw neck and would smile and gloat. Others would tip their heads to the side and act like they were hanging from a noise or mimic cutting their throat. When one couldn't take it anymore, I just starred at my feet. Hugo noticed and squeezes my shoulder. I looked up at him, and he motioned with his head to the side. I didn't want to look, but he gave me a reassuring smile. I looked over and saw that there was a large group of campers who watched me, but not with fear or threats in their eyes, but sympathy and understanding. They smiled at me, nodded or gave me a thumbs up. As I looked through the crowd, I noticed that not everyone was scared, actually, most of them didn't even seem to pick sides. They'd see me their gazes only lingering for a second, then move on. I guess I had just been too focused on the bad to see the good all around.
I stood taller and looked forward, a warmth in my stomach. Never before had anyone treated me like this, but when a so many people treated me like this, I could barely believe it. I felt excepted. I knew they would give me a chance, maybe even offer me a home here. I just hope I don't disappoint them.

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