Piper was dead. She took her last breaths when Y/N and I were gone.

"Piper," I whispered, crumpling to the ground. "Pipes --"

"There's nothing I could do," Will said, his voice cracking. He buried his head into Nico's shoulder in guilt. "I'm so sorry, Percy."

I shook my head slowly and took a ragged breath. "It's not your fault," I said evenly, as if it were just a fact known like 1+1. "Demigods die all the time."

Y/N kneeled down next to me. She put her hand on my bare arm consolingly. I expected her to say something -- anything, -- but she didn't. She just gave a quick, painful glance to Piper's quiet body and walked away. Each of her light steps sounded like my world crashing down.

Will shook his head and made a muffled noise into Nico's shoulder. "I failed," he mumbled through his black shirt. "I failed, I failed, I failed."

Nico just pat his back in response. "It's not your fault," he whispered into his boyfriend's ear. "You did all you could."

"It wasn't enough!" Will snapped, pulling away abruptly. "Nothing I do is ever enough!"

Nico, shocked, narrowed his eyes. "Don't say this!" he yelled. "You think I'm happy? Huh, Solace? You think I want you to mope?"

Will's eyes began turning red and puffy. "Shut up!" he screamed. "Just shut up! I just want to make everyone happy. I just want to live in a world where no one dies!"

Nico staggered back. He looked painfully at Will, who was on the bridge of crying. Will, who had such high hopes and dreams. Will, the only one who could give him real solace.

"Then maybe you should face reality," he said quietly, not wanting to face Will.

When he looked back up, Will was gone. All there was was a clipboard, a dead girl, and me.

"I'm such an idiot," Nico groaned, smacking his forehead. "I knew I shouldn't have said that."

I stood up slowly to face him. He had grown a lot in a year. I remember when I had a grow spurt when I was Nico's age.

"Go to him," I said.

"I don't know where he is," Nico replied in a shaky voice. "I can never find him."

In that moment, Nico looked so fragile. He always seemed cool and dark, but now he wore his heart upon his sleeve.

"Is that going to stop you?" I pressed. "If you love someone, go for them. If you don't, then mope.

"Nico. I know you love him. So run."

Nico wiped his dreary eyes and nodded. "You're always so right," he whispered. "You know I always admired you for being so in control?"

I laughed at that. "We're demigods," I said. "Our lives aren't even our own."

"I know," Nico smiled. "Which is why I'm going to make it my own right now."

With that, he left. He just simply disappeared into thin air by shadow travel.

I sighed and looked back down at Piper. My body crumpled down once again as I remembered what situation I was in.

There were no words needed as I banged my fist on the coarse ground. I moaned and cried the way I did when Annabeth had died. I let out a scream that pierced the sky, one that scared away the birds nearby.

"DAMMIT!" I yelled. "MOTHERFUCKERS!"

Piper laid motionless. Her stillness bothered me. Why wasn't she moving? She was always moving.

W A

K E

U

P

And suddenly Y/N was back. She hugged me tight and breathed into my ear.

"I love you," she whispered. "Percy, please."

I shoved her away unintentionally, causing her to fall to the ground in a somersault. I had underestimated my own strength.

"Percy!" Y/N yelled, on me once again. "Please! Calm down!"

I didn't care. I felt so goddam empty.

"Why does this keep happening?" I screamed. The rest of the noise I caused was pointless yelling. My throat felt dry.

"Just shut up and kiss me, you idiot!" Y/N demanded, pushing her lips against me. My body immediately froze, the familiar taste of her mouth on my tongue.

"Better?" she asked calmly, pulling away.

I nodded and curled up into a ball. I put my head in between my legs.

Y/N sighed and grabbed my hand. "Let's go to the cabins," she decided. I hesitated before getting up with her.

"You're a serious professional at getting me calm," I said as our feet crunched the dead leaves winter left in its trail. Spring would come soon.

"Maybe it's just that I snow what's good for you," she snorted in reply, referring to the melting white powder on the ground.

I let out a deep chuckle as we continued walking in silence.

When we finally reached the cabins, Nico and Will were huddled together deep in conversation by the Hades cabin. Y/N walked to mine to avoid them.

"I love the smell of this place," Y/N sighed, taking a deep breath. "It smells like the ocean. And you."

I smiled lopsidedly and sat next to her on my bunk. "Well yours smells like death and vampires," I joked, nudging her shoulder.

Y/N snorted again and playfully punched my shoulder.

"But I love that smell anyway," I said. Our faces leaned closer together, our eyes closed, and suddenly it was like all our senses shut off.

That's what kissing Y/N feels like.

"You taste like buttered popcorn," I whispered, breaking away.

"Maybe it's because my life seems just like one giant movie," she replied sighing. I moved closer again, brushing my lips against her ear.

"We're just at the beginning," I said, quickly pinning my self on top of her.

"You play dirty!" Y/N whined. "I wasn't expecting that!"

I smirked as I pressed my hips against hers. My chest rubbed against hers, our mouths crashing together like waves.

"I never expected you," I replied. "So I guess we're even."

Y/N rolled her eyes for a split second as her tongue slithered into mine. Her hands crawled up my back, lingering at my shoulder blades.

"How are you so hot?" she moaned. "Girls get to wear makeup and shit, but guys don't."

I smiled against her cheek as my lips slid to her neck. "I'm Percy Jackson," I answered. "It's in the job description. Are you complaining?"

Y/N closed her eyes, her hands desperately trying to tug off my shirt. So I backed up and did what she wanted.

"It's just you and me in this cabin," I smirked.

"We're not having sex again," Y/N groaned. "I just like seeing you shirtless. Plus I feel awkward after."

"That's a shame," I replied, back on top of her. Her hands roamed around my back, leaving scratch marks. I touched her spine in return, each little spur graced by my fingers.

Y/N once again rolled her eyes. "You're hopeless," she mumbled against my mouth. "You're lucky you're hot."

I smirked against her. I never wanted to kiss her as much as I did now.

"That's enough," Y/N gasped. She jumped out of the bed quickly.

"Y/N --" I started.

"No," she said firmly, hands on her hips. "We are not having sex."

I rolled my eyes, pulling her by her waist back onto the bed. "Fine," I groaned.

Y/N smiled slightly, the corner of her lip curling up.

"I guess we're back to where we began," she smirked.

Memories of Piper and all the rest of the Seven wove their way into my mind. It was ungovernable. I couldn't forget, or it would chase me back anyway.

My face hovered inches from hers.

"I guess we are," I decided. I let my lips graze hers.

"I guess we are."