This Cold Year ― Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase²

―iii. how much sacrifice is enough?

NAOMI WOKE TO A PATCH OF SUNLIGHT on her face and a hand in her own. She felt unsteady the moment she realized she was awake, though she wasn't sure if that was because of the circumstances of her impromptu nap or the fact that she was on a flying warship. 

Probably a combination of the two, if she had to guess.

She opened her eyes, squinting in the sunshine that was coming through a porthole to her left. She turned her face away from it, taking in her surroundings. She was on a cot in a spacious room not entirely unlike the infirmary back at Camp Half-Blood. Percy was sitting in a chair to her right, holding her hand. Behind him was another cot, where an unconscious Jason laid, Piper sitting at his bedside. 

Naomi groaned. "This is like Denver all over again."

Percy looked up at the sound of her voice. "Nay," he whispered, clearly relieved. 

"Naomi!" Piper jumped out of her seat, joining Percy at Naomi's bedside. 

"How do you feel?" Percy asked, feeling her forehead with his free hand. "You're still warm. Are you—?"

"I'm okay," Naomi reassured him. She swallowed against the faint, lingering headache behind her eyes. "Better than before, at least. How's Jason?"

Piper looked at him, chewing on her lip in worry. "I'm not sure," she said. "He took a bad blow to the head."

Percy squeezed Naomi's hand. "I'll go get Annabeth," he said, and walked out of the sickbay. 

"How long have I been out?" Naomi asked Piper.

Piper sat down on the edge of her cot. "Not long," she said. "Half an hour, maybe." 

Naomi frowned, remembering what had happened before she passed out from the pain. "Did Leo...?"

Piper looked down. "He... he fired on New Rome," she said quietly. "I don't know why. I don't think he even meant to."

"Of course he didn't," Naomi said. She might not have known Leo for long, but she figured she knew him well enough to know he wasn't the type of person to fire on innocent people for no reason. There had to be an explanation. 

Piper managed a smile. "I'm really glad you're okay, Naomi," she said. "We didn't know what to think when we showed up at camp without you. Annabeth nearly tore our heads off." 

"That was all Hera's doing," Naomi muttered. 

"We figured," Piper said. "Drew says hi, by the way. Well, her exact words were, Tell Naomi the next time I see her, she better have a good-ass explanation for why she left me to deal with your inability to match your shoes to your outfit by myself. But I knew what she meant."

Naomi smiled a little. "I'm guessing you guys are on better terms?"

Piper shrugged. "I doubt we'll ever be best friends," she said. "But we understand each other better. She told me a little about Silena—about what happened."

Naomi was surprised, but pleasantly so. "I'm glad."

"Me too," Piper said. "But I swear, if you ever leave me alone with Jason and Leo again, I'm gonna be pissed."

Naomi managed a weak laugh. "I'll try to stick around this time."

Piper smiled. "You better."

Annabeth walked into the sickbay, Percy right behind her. Naomi sat up, despite three identical protests for her to take it easy. 

"I'm okay," Naomi promised. "I don't know what happened to me, but I'm better. Promise."

Annabeth sighed, wrapping her in a loose hug. "You scared me, Naomi," she whispered. "I thought you—I thought you were—"