begin again | ✔

•⁠ epilogue •⁠

Epilogue
Piper's Letters
—•⁠—

One year later...

Hi, Jason. Wow, it's been one year since you died. Can you believe it? I can't. I miss you so much. The day you died...I still wake up at night screaming about it. It just feels so real. The sight of you dead on the pavement flashes before me whenever I close my eyes.

The nightmares haunt me. I haven't had a good night's sleep in months. Sometimes, it's like I can still feel your blood on my hands. I can still feel your body going limp after you told me you loved me.

Thalia was devastated when she found out. She wept and sobbed, she lay on the floor with Reyna, her girlfriend, comforting her. To this day, she beats herself up for not spending more time with you.

But that's what we humans do, right? We don't realize the value of something until it's taken from us.

Luke is rotting in jail and he deserves it. I heard the things he was saying to you. He would stay in there forever if I had any hand in it.

You never heard about how Sally came to help us with the cops, right? She told us that she had been following us the whole time. Her motherly instincts kicked in and she felt as if Percy was in trouble, then she called 911. She's truly a badass.

Calypso was absolutely devastated at her father's death, but Leo helped her along. They started their own shop and they call it 'Leo and Calypso's Garage: Auto Repair and Mechanical Monsters' Nico and Will spend their time travelling around the world. Frank and Hazel are doing good as well, they visit me once in a while.

It almost seems as if everyone has moved on Jason. Everyone but me. I just can never seem to keep my mind off you.

Annabeth and Percy are still head over heels for each other. Guess what? Percy proposed! They're engaged now! You would have been so happy for them if you'd been here. Percy says that they are going to leave the best man space out for you. Annabeth asked me to be her maid of honour and Jason, I don't know if I can do it. I had dreams of her being my maid of honour one day.

But that's never going to happen now.

Whenever I messed up, you always said we could simply begin again. But I don't think I can Jason, I don't think I can.

With love,
Piper.

Five years later...

It's been five years now. Five years since you left me all alone. Five years since you died. Time sure flies by fast doesn't it?

It's been four years since Percy and Annabeth got married. I'm so happy for them, and I know you would feel the same way. They had two little twins, both two years old. One is named Bob, after the Titan.

The other's named Jason. After you. He's got Annabeth's honey blond hair and Percy's sea green eyes. He reminds me so much of you, Jason.

I know I've said this before, but I miss you. But strangely, the nightmares which used to haunt my every waking and sleeping hour have gone away. They say that time heals all wounds, and maybe it's healing mine. The space you have left behind may never be filled, but maybe I'll finally be able to accept the fact that you can't come back. That you're gone forever.

What I've learned from the last time I wrote a letter is that everyone grieves differently. Annabeth told me that she sometimes still finds Percy binge watching Spongebob Squarepants if he ever misses you.

You know that song you and Leo always sang together? Whenever it comes on the radio, his face always lights up and he looks behind and for a second, he expects you to be there. Then he realizes and his eyes fill with pain for a moment before he deflects it with a joke.

I thought it was only me who was still thinking of you. Turns out that none of us have moved on. Everyone misses you, Jason. You've made a big impact on all of our lives and none of us could forget you if we tried.

Zeus came to visit a year ago...he might not have been around that much but he had the right to know. We told him about you and he was devastated. He wasn't the best father, I know, but he still cared about you.

I've recently started working at the boutique that my mom used to own. It feels like taking in a deep breath of fresh air, it's relieving. I've always thought that I'll stay alone forever after your death.

But now I'm thinking that maybe...I don't know, Jason. I'm still confused, and I'm still trying to figure out my life.

All I know is maybe you were right, maybe we can always begin again.

With love,
Piper.