The Last Part

Living the Life at CHB

Jason's POV
  
   Out of all the words, Jason chose 'difficult,' to describe watching Percy cry. Complete discrimination. It was more like, 'I can't watch you cry because it's completely terrifying.' You knew things were bad when Percy Jackson cried. But Jason highly doubted Percy would enjoy those chose of words even more then difficult.
   Jason's conversation with Percy kind of stunned him. Jason had known Percy for about roughly three months. He thought he knew Percy, great leader, friend, and fighter. Jason didn't think Percy was bothered much. He always seemed happy, light, and a go with the flow kind of dude. Sassy and joking around were always two of Percy's high priorities in Jason's opinion. But Jason did know that some things stuck to Percy. Like when he was fighting Polybotes, and let the poison attack him, Percy thought it was justice, and let himself feel pain.
   But Jason didn't know Percy blamed himself for all these things.
   Jason knew Nico's older sister died, but he didn't know how. Jason always thought it was in a battle, but apparently it was more then that. Jason didn't know who this Zoë girl was, but apparently Percy felt guilty about it too. He didn't even know who Luke, Beckendorf, and Selena were. He'd have to ask people at Camp.
   It was hard for Jason to see the tough, slick, and powerful Poseidon kid reduced to tears. But he thought that if you lose someone you love, anything can happen.
   Jason winced, remembering Percy's words. "You didn't KNOW Annabeth. You never took the time to KNOW her." It was true. Jason never knew Annabeth. Out of all the members on the ship, the most distant relationship Jason had with anyone, it was with Annabeth. Jason was dating Piper, his best friend was Leo, Frank and Hazel was his fellow Romans, and he and Percy had bonded over the trip. Getting over the fact that they had almost killed each other.
   But Jason never really talked to Annabeth, never got to knew her. In all of Jason's guilt, he didn't fully trust her. That changed, but he never talked to her like an actual human being. And now Jason wouldn't ever have the chance.
   Jason saw all the other relationships on the ship. All the couples sure, but Hazel got along with everyone, as did Piper, Leo, Frank, Percy and Annabeth. Except he and Annabeth never really got together. In Jason's opinion, Frank and Piper would've been the most distant. At least Frank and Piper did a quest together.
  Jason reached the crest of Camp Half Blood Hill. He had flew most of the way there, but wanted to walk up the hill. He spotted Piper sitting on the beach of the lake, with Leo with his arm across her.
   Jason hadn't been lying when he said Piper was a wreck. She was crying a lot, and not eating a lot and only drinking water. Last night, she had woken up screaming bloody murder. Her nightmares were so bad she went to Jason's cabin.
   When Jason reached them, he noticed that Piper wasn't crying, just staring at the lake. Jason sat next to her, giving a quick wave to Leo. "I'm back from talking to Percy." He didn't bother to ask, 'how are you?' because he knew Piper would say okay, and that would be a lie. There just wasn't a point.
   "How'd it go?" Leo asked.
   "Um... Different," Jason responded carefully.
   Piper turned to Jason. Her ever changing eyes were red from crying and she dark circles under her eyes, but she still look beautiful. "I miss them. Both of them. I miss Percy. I miss... I miss..."
   She didn't have to finish, Leo and Jason booth knew what she was going to say. A tear glided down Pipers face. Leo gave Piper a squeeze. "It's okay, Beauty Queen. I miss her, too. Besides me, she was the only other person that understood my mechanic ways."
   Jason wanted to know how to reassure Piper. But how could he? He didn't know Annabeth enough to talk to Piper about her. When everyone thought Leo was gone, that was easy, Leo was her best friend as well as his. But now... He was glad Leo could comfort Piper.
   "So how's Percy?" Leo questioned.
   "I'm gonna go with unstable," Jason said.
   Piper gave out what seemed like a combination between a snort and a laugh. "I'll bet."
   "How bad is, 'unstable' for Percy?" Leo wondered.
   "It involves blaming himself for all the deaths he thinks he caused, calling himself unworthy, and crying."
   "Jackson crying?" Leo was astounded.
   "Shut up, Valdez," Piper scolded. "He just lost his girlfriend. Remember when you lost Calypso?"
   "Point taken. Percy hasn't caused any deaths to anyone besides monsters. Who is he blaming himself for?"
   Jason took a second to remember. "Bianca, that's Nico's older sister, Annabeth, Bob, Damasen, and these people that I don't know; Beckendorf, Selena, Luke, and Zoë. The first three went to camp, that's all I know, but I don't know any Zoë, you guys know a Zoë?"
   Leo shrugged and Piper didn't say anything. "I know Zoë," said a familiar voice behind them. Leo and Jason both whipped around. Piper didn't, whether she didn't care or already knew who it was, Jason didn't know.
   Jason found himself looking at a teenaged girl, roughly fifteen with black combat boots, silvery camo pants, and a black t shirt that said DEATH TO BARBIES. Her black hair was cut short. Her eyes were crackling blue and there was a splash of freckles across her nose.
   Jason jumped up. "Thalia!" Jason gave a quick hug to his sister and looked at her face. There was faint traces of eyeliner running down Thalia's face. "What's wrong?" Jason immediately regretted it. What's wrong? One of her best friends died. He knew what was wrong.
   Thalia smiled wryly. "In time, little bro. First, you asked who Zoë was."
   "Yeah, I did."
   They sat down on the beach next to Piper and Leo. Thalia glanced sympathetically towards Piper. "When I was actually fifteen, before I became a Hunter, me Percy and Annabeth, who were fourteen, went to Westover Hall to help Grover pick up some half-bloods. Those half bloods were Nico and Bianca diAngelo."
   Jason kind of felt excluded, here's another story of Percy and Thalia. Thalia knew Percy better the she did Jason. 'But she thought you were dead,' Jason mentally scolded himself.
   "The monster there was a Manticore," Thalia continued. "It got the two siblings to go after him and they followed. Percy went after them and got shot by a dart, he couldn't fight without the Manticore firing on the diAngelo's. Shortly, Annabeth, Grover, and I came after them. Annabeth jumped on the Manticore and the Hunters came. The Manticore jumped off the cliff with Annabeth still on his back. He took her to Mount Tam where she held up the sky."
   "Held up the sky?" Leo asked. "How does that work?"
   Thalia glanced at him impatiently. "It's hard to explain. It weighs a lot, lemme tell ya. It can crush a normal human, not even some half bloods could hold it. Either way, Lady Artemis went after a creature that is highly important. Her Hunters had to go to Camp. Her Lieutenant, Zoë Nightshade, was in charge."
   So Zoë was a Hunter, Jason thought. "Zoë got a dream that Artemis got captured and a quest of five people went west to look for her. Zoë, Bianca, Grover and I went. Phobe-" Thalia looked stricken, then continued. "Phobe was supposed to go but got hives from centaur blood. Percy snuck out and followed us. Percy joined us at a museum and we continued." Thalia looked at the old trio hastily, "We don't really need to go in detail.
   "In the desert, we found a junkyard of Hephaestus. Bianca took something and Talos arose, Bianca went inside it and shut it down from the inside but she was killed. Percy told us how she told him of how she took something, and it was her fault and that's why she went. Percy kind of blamed himself, and said how he should've gone instead of Bianca. We got to Mount Tam and Lady Artemis was holding the sky Annabeth was standing next to Luke."
   Luke was another guy Percy blamed himself for, Jason remembered. Jason also noticed Thalia's voice hardened when she said Luke. "Who's Luke?" he asked. Thalia looked like she wanted to say some non nice things, but just said, "You don't need to know." Jason had a feeling that subject was closed.
   "Percy fought Atlas for a bit, then Zoë took over, even though she was hurt. I fought Luke. Percy held the sky for Artemis and they fought Atlas together. Atlas was put under the sky again and we got Annabeth. Zoë was badly hurt and she died. She lives in the stars now. I don't know why Percy blames himself, maybe he felt like he could've done something different to help her, like I did."
   When Thalia finished the story, Jason didn't know what to say. 'Oh,' didn't cover it. Though it seemed Thalia took their silence as an answer. "Where's Percy? I want to talk to him."
   "Um... I don't think Percy's open up to any visitors right now," Jason said a little bit edgy.
   "I don't care, I need to see him," Thalia argued. The siblings stood up.
   "I don't think Percy can take another visitor. I already visited him. It wasn't pretty."
   Thalia looked shocked. "You visited him? You mean he's not here? Jason, where is he?"
   "Stark Towers," Jason said sheepishly.
   Leo jumped up. "You mean, Tony Stark? Can I go? I've always wanted to meet him the guys a genius!"
   "I'm gonna go see him." Thalia started walking.
   Jason out his hands on her shoulders to stop her. "Thals, I don't think that's a good idea."
   Thalia threw her hands in the air. "Why not?" Her blue eyes were hard and bright.
   "Percy's not in the best state..."
   "No ones in the best state right now! Annabeth was killed-" at this Piper choked out a sob, which made Jason glare at Thalia. "-I knew Annabeth like Percy did, I'm going to see him, and you are not stopping me."
   "Wait!" Piper stood up too and looked pleadingly at Thalia. "Can I come with you? I want to see Percy too."
   "Can I meet Stark?" Leo piped in.
   "No, you're not meeting Stark," Thalia declared. "Let's go Piper." Piper smiled, the first time she had done all day.
   "Wait!" Jason said. Thalia turned around looking annoyed. "I'm coming with you."
   Thalia shook her head. "You can't. Trust me on this one little brother, it's a girl thing."
   "Percy's not a girl," Jason pointed out.
   "True," the daughter of Zeus agreed. "But this is about him and Annabeth. Plus he has been best friends with a girl for about six years."
   Jason wanted to argue more, but he knew there was no point. They were going to go without him. "All right, bye."
   Leo looked at Jason when Thalia and Piper left. "Did you meet Tony?"
   "No, Hawkeye."
   "Who's that?"
   "An Avenger, apparently."
   "Mortals are weird," Leo said.
   "Agreed."