𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐗𝐈𝐑, 𝐏𝐉

𝟎𝟏𝟏.𝟒

"—assume he is dead," Chiron said. "After so long a silence, it is unlikely our prayers will be answered. I have asked his best surviving friend to do the final honors."

Annabeth nudged and helped the messed up sobbing Juliet forward while she was carrying a long green silk burial cloth, embroidered with a trident, and set it on the flames. Juliet kept on sobbing uncontrollably, She couldn't come to terms with Percy being gone. 

Annabeth turned to face the audience, deciding to say the speech instead of the sobbing Juliet. She looked terrible. Her eyes were puffy from crying, but she managed to say, "He was probably the bravest friend I've ever had. He..." Then she saw something. Her face went blood red. "He's right there!"

Heads turned. People gasped. Juliet nearly collapsed due to shock and relief.

"Percy!" Augustus grinned. A bunch of other kids crowded around the fucking dead idiot who was about to be killed by Juliet's hand and clapped him on the back. Juliet heard a few curses from the Ares cabin, but Clarisse just rolled her eyes, like she couldn't believe Percy had the nerve to survive, which honestly Juliet could relate to right now. Chiron cantered over with Annabeth and everyone made way for him.

"Well," he sighed with obvious relief while Annabeth gave Percy a crushing hug. "I don't believe I've ever been happier to see a camper return. But you must tell me—"

Juliet's sobs turned into scoffs before turning into proper manic chuckles as she ran a harsh hand through her hair before turning to face Percy Jackson who looked more scared then the time Zeus had threatened to blow him. Juliet's laugh turned into a screech as she rushed forward grabbing him by his collars and yelling, "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" 

The other campers fell silent.

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE FUCKING DEAD"she shook him harshly nearly making him see stars by her tight hold and shaking.

"I'm sorry," Percy had the audacity to speak! "I got lost."

"LOST?" she yelled. "TWO WEEKS? LOST? I WILL MAKE YOU A LOST KID! OH JUST YOU WAIT-"

"Juliet," Chiron interrupted. "Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere more private, shall we? The rest of you, back to your normal activities!"

"WHY PRIVATE? HE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT PRIVACY WHILE DYING!" She kept on accusing, Percy was on the verge of legit crying, Juliet was about to sacrifice him here.

"Juliet," Chiron sighed separating the girl from Percy gently. Without waiting for another breakdown, he picked up Annabeth, Juliet and Percy as easily as if they were kittens, slung them on his back, and galloped off toward the Big House.

"So I....just walk?" Augustus looked at them, he couldn't believe Chiron was being so petty, Augustus had made fun of his galloping once!

Percy didn't tell them the whole story. He just couldn't bring himself to talk about Calypso. He explained how he'd caused the explosion at Mount St. Helens and gotten blasted out of the volcano. He told them he'd been marooned on an island (Juliet had outright scoffed at that, yeah there was no way the Calypso lie was hidden from considering their shared past.). Then Hephaestus had found him and told him he could leave. A magic raft had carried him back to camp.

All that was true, but as Percy said it his palms felt sweaty. Probably because of the cold assessing look his girlfriend was giving him across from him.

"You've been gone two weeks." Annabeth's voice was steadier now, but she still looked pretty shaken up. "When we heard the explosion, we thought—"

"I know," Percy said. "I'm sorry. But I figured out how to get through the Labyrinth. I talked to Hephaestus."