The lost hero returns

10. When he left for a day

I lay in bed and I can't fall asleep.

I never thought I would be back at camp.
And I would never think I would see my old friends again.

I thought they were dead.
But I never forgot about them. I always hoped they had lived happy and peaceful lives.

Some nights I would cry. I would cry because of how things ended. And how much I miss them.

But now that I am here and I can actually see my old friends... It hurts. Everything and everyone had changed so much, but they are also still the same. Maybe I am the one that has changed.

But I can't shake the feeling that I am missing something. Something important.

I also need to figure out what to do with Annabeth. I have so many questions. But I'm not sure that I am ready for the answers. For that old ugly wound to reopen.

After what felt like an forever, I fell into a restless sleep.

>>>>

I was woken up by a yelling Zoë.
"Percy! You need to come. Now!" She says shaking me.

"What?" I mumble but Zoë is already back outside. I jump out of bed and rush on my shoes, mask and hood.
I run outside and immediately see a huge crowd. They are surrounding something.

No. Someone.

I run and push myself through the crowd.
When I reach the middle I see Matthew on the ground. He is surrounded by a smaller group.

Annabeth, Jason, Frank, Hazel, Piper and..

"Leo?" I whisper in shock.

He is alive? He is here... he survived? How?
I feel so many emotions. I freeze.
They are all here.

Leo looks older. More muscular and taller. He still had his elfish features. His eyes that were usually sparkling are looking right down furiously and he looks ready to blast fire at Matthew.

They turn around. They all seem furious and ready to hurt someone.
I regain myself before I step forward.

"What is going on?" I ask them hoping my voice sounds steadier than I feel.

"We got a message from camp." Hazel said looking angry.
She didn't change a lot. Just the softness faded a little. She looks more grown up. Yet she still reminds me of the girl I met all those years ago.

"So you are commander Omega?" Jason asks. He didn't changed at all. His blonde hair is a little longer. But other than that. Still the same old Jason Grace.

"I am. But I am still wondering what this is about." I try to say as natural as possible. Trying not to show how shocked I truly am.

"We were all in camp Jupiter. Only Annabeth was here. And when she send us a message we came as soon as we could." Frank explains.

I look at him and I can't believe he was once a clumsy kid that looked like a sumo wrestler. He is taller and he he seemed more intimidating.
I am impressed.

"Okay.." I say. Hoping they would explain what that has to do with Matthew laying on the ground.

"Please. Let me go. I didn't mean to do it. I am sorry." Matthew says still on the ground.

Jason looks at Piper. She shakes her head.
Piper hasn't changed much either. Still pretty but not showing it off. Not wearing make up and wearing basic clothes. Her brown hair is braided and she still wears a feather in it.

"Matthew. I can't believe you. I left camp. And I don't remember leaving you in charge." Piper exclaims angry.

"But you did." He says pleading.

"What? Why would I leave you in charge of the Aphrodite cabin?" She asks confused.

"We were talking after the war. You told me you wanted to live in camp Jupiter for a while with Jason. But you didn't want to abandon the cabin. I then offered to step in for a while. You said I could." Matthew says.

Piper looks confused. Like she tries to remember something burried deep in her mind.

Selina who stood behind me steps forward.
"You should really think before you use charmspeak again kid." Selina says with a warning tone.

Matthew looks over and seems to shrink at the sight of Selina. It's quite amusing.

"Okay. Since no one will tell me. I'll ask. Why are you angry with Matthew? I mean I understand you don't like him. But why this?" I ask gesturing around me.

"Because he is the reason this camp went to Hades." Annabeth yells.

"I tried to make this camp better!" Matthew says trying to stand up.

"By charmspeaking everyone for years?!" Annabeth screams. I don't think I have seen her this angry. Ever.

"What?" I need time to process this. "Since when?" I ask.

"When the Argo left camp. Everyone was so down and worried. I used charmspeak to make everyone feel better." Matthew says.

I look at Selina. She looks at him with narrow eyes.
"He is not using it." She says.

"Let me guess." I say. "You realized how easy it was to manipulate the people around you. You became obsessed with the feeling of the power you have."

"It's not that hard." Matthew says arrogantly.

"How could you?" Annabeth says. She looks betrayed.

A small voice in my head whispers. "Doesn't feel so nice being betrayed does it?" I quickly push it away.

Matthew stands up looking angry.
"Because I couldn't take it anymore!" He yells.
"Everyone was so busy with the quest of the seven. Everyone was talking about him! I was sick of it!"

"You were jealous?" Jason asks.

"Yes! Yes I was! I just returned from a quest and nobody cared. All they talked about were Annabeth and him being in Tartaurus." He spits out. "Everyone was so busy talking how they would survive because they had each other."

I look at Annabeth. Memories of Tartaurus rush back. I worked so hard to forget. Right now the memories feel like they punch me right in the face.

Annabeth turns pale and then her grey eyes filled with rage and tears. Then she throws herself at Matthew and pins him on the ground while Frank and Jason try to hold her back from strangling him.

"What did you do Matthew? Who are you talking about?" Leo asks.

Matthew looked like he'd gone crazy. His eyes looked like a wild animal.

"After the defeat of Gaea everyone was talking about them. And he. He had everything. Everything that I wanted. When he left for a day. I took my chance." Matthew says.

My breathing was fast and my heart is pounding.
I am staring at Matthew with disbelief.
Annabeth is crying in Hazels arms.

Jason grabs Matthew. "What. Did. You do?" He says slowely and very angry.

"I talked to everyone at camp. I made them hate him. I wanted to let him feel what I went through. I wanted him to leave. To disappear." Matthew says. "And it worked. Percy Jackson is gone."