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AIMEE DIDN'T REMEMBER MUCH ABOUT the rest of the night. They told their story and answered a million questions from the other campers, but finally Chiron saw how tired they were and ordered them to bed.

It felt so good to sleep on a real mattress, and Aimee was so exhausted, she crashed immediately, which spared her any worry about what it would be like returning to the empty Hades cabin.

The next morning she woke in her bunk, feeling even more tired than she had been when they had returned to camp. The sun came through the curtains along with a pleasant breeze. It might've been spring instead of winter. Birds sang. Monsters howled in the woods. Breakfast smells wafted from the dining pavilion—bacon, pancakes, and all sorts of wonderful things.

She pulled herself from her bed pulling on a clean outfit,and cut her hair after noticing that the bottom was singed, before shadow traveling to the dining pavilion.She smiled when she saw the Aphrodite campers carrying Piper on their shoulders,she knew that Piper must have done something about Drew.

She finished her food,then decided to walk around camp.Many campers wouldn't meet her eyes but the Apollo kids were quite nice.She met a son of Apollo named Will Solace and he taught her how to shoot a bow,calling her a natural when she shot three bulls eyes in a row.She said goodbye to them and continued her walk.

She walked into the commons area,she smiled when she found Jason relaxing on a bench, a basketball between his feet. He was sweaty from working out. His various scars and bruises from the quest were healing, thanks to some medical attention from the Apollo cabin.Aimee sat on one side of him just as Piper walked up.Her and Jason turned towards the girl.

"Hey," Jason said. "How did it go?"

It took her a second to focus on his question. "Hmm? Oh, yeah. Fine."

She sat on the other side of him and the three of them watched the campers going back and forth. A couple of Demeter girls were playing tricks on two of the Apollo guys—making grass grow around their ankles as they shot baskets. Over at the camp store, the Hermes kids were putting up a sign that read: flying shoes, slightly used, 50% off today! Ares kids were lining their cabin with fresh barbed wire. The Hypnos cabin was snoring away. A normal day at camp.

Meanwhile, Aimee saw the Aphrodite kids were watching Piper and Jason, and trying to pretend they weren't. Aimee was pretty sure she saw money change hands, like they were placing bets on a kiss.

"Get any sleep?" Piper asked Jason.Aimee stayed silent leaning her head back,slightly cursing Apollo for making the sun so bright today.

He looked at her as if Piper had been reading his thoughts. "Not much. Dreams."

"About your past?"

He nodded.

Piper didn't push him. If he wanted to talk, that was fine, but she knew him better than to press the subject.

Aimee messed with the bottom of her purple v-neck,her dreams weren't nice either.The past continued to come back to haunt her every chance it got.

Jason spun his basketball looking at Aimee out of the corner of his eye. "It's not good news," he warned. "My memories aren't good for—for any of us."

"We'll figure it out," Piper promised.

Aimee glanced at her slightly,then looked away.Her's and Jason's pasts don't mix with the Greeks,they don't mix with Piper's line of demigods.But Aimee knew that her and Jason wouldn't let their pasts stop them from being with their friends.

Jason looked at Piper hesitantly, like he wanted very much to believe her. "Annabeth and Rachel are coming in for the meeting tonight. I should probably wait until then to explain ..."

"Okay." She plucked a blade of grass by her foot. She knew there were dangerous things in store for both of them. She would have to compete with Jason's past, and they might not even survive their war against the giants. But right now, they were both alive, and she was determined to enjoy this moment.

Jason studied her warily. His forearm tattoo was faint blue in the sunlight. "You're in a good mood. How can you be so sure things will work out?"

"Because you're going to lead us," Piper said simply. "I'd follow you anywhere."

Jason blinked. Then slowly, he smiled. "Dangerous thing to say."

"I'm a dangerous girl."

"That, I believe."

Jason got up and brushed off his shorts. He offered her a hand. "Leo says he's got something to show us out in the woods. You coming?"

"Wouldn't miss it." Piper took his hand and stood up.Aimee pushed herself off the bench her deathly presence reminding Jason that she was there.

For a moment, Piper and Jason kept holding hands. Aimee smirked slightly glancing at Piper's cabin mates.Jason tilted his head. "We should get going."

"Yep," Piper said remembering that Aimee was with them finally feeling the girl's presence too. "Just a sec."

She let go of his hand, and took a card from her pocket—the silver calling card that Thalia had given her for the Hunters of Artemis. She dropped it into a nearby eternal fire and watched it burn,when she turned to Aimee the girl gave her an approving smile which Piper returned happily. There would be no breaking hearts in Aphrodite cabin from now on. That was one rite of passage they didn't need.

Across the green, Piper's cabin mates looking disappointed that they hadn't witnessed a kiss. They started cashing in their bets.

But that was all right. Piper was patient, and she could see lots of good possibilities.

"Let's go,love birds," Aimee teased them walking ahead. "We've got adventures to plan."

Daughter of Pluto | Wattys2017Where stories live. Discover now