Percy, Thalia, Jacob, and Hannah watched as the eagle completed another loop, and then headed away from the camp. "That's towards where we found you guys," Thalia frowned.
Percy's face hardened. "You wait here," he ordered. "Atalanta should intercept them, but I'll make sure that it's not some Greeks that have found us." With that said, Percy and Thalia rushed off towards the border of the camp.
Slightly leaning in each other for support, Jacob and Hannah found a log in the sun to sit down on. They sat in silence, simply enjoying one another's company and the warmth of the sun. Hunters milled around them, talking in lowered voices and sending glances their way. After a while, Jacob started fidgeting and playing with his eye-patch.
"What's wrong?" Hannah asked.
"I hate this thing," Jacob replied while ripping it off. "It's irritating, and I feel like I'm hiding my injuries."
Hannah was about to scold Jacob, but then changed her mind when she noticed something. Maybe thirty feet away there was a girl who looked to be about ten with auburn hair and blue eyes. "Hey, Jake," Hannah said while nudging his shoulder and jerking her head in the girl's direction. "Does she look familiar?"
Jacob frowned, brows knit together in concentration. "It kinda looks like. . ." he trailed off. "But it can't be, she should be back home," he finished in a whisper.
"Talk to her," Hannah urged. "If she's who we think she is, you need to talk to her."
Rising to his feet, Jacob made his way over to the small girl. "Clara?" he asked softly once they were about ten feet apart.
"Jacob!" she exclaimed, running towards him. Clara jumped into his outstretched arms and Jacob twirled around with his sister in his tight embrace. Tears were streaming down both their faces as they reunited. Hannah watched from the log, tears pricking her eyes as she watched the tearful reunion.
"Who does that boy think he is," a hunter growled from next to Hannah, dropping the wood that was in her arms.
Hannah rose and stopped her with a hand as the hunter prepared to march towards the pair. "Let them have this moment."
"Why should I?" she spat. "That male is touching one of my sisters."
"Because that's her brother," Hannah explained. The hunter grumbled and walked away in response.
"Where were you?" Clara sobbed into Jacob's shoulder. "I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too," Jacob choked out. "I never wanted to leave you, but I thought it was the best way to keep you safe." Setting her back down, Jacob took Clara's hand and led her back to Hannah and the log.
As they got closer Hannah stepped forward and gave Clara a hug. "It's nice to see you again,"
"You too, I missed having a girl to talk to," Clara laughed before the trio sat on the log.
"So," Jacob started. "What's been going on? How's mom? Why are you here?"
Clara's face grew sad. "It's kinda a long story. Percy brought me to the Hunters almost a year ago, but it all started maybe four or five years ago when-" she was interrupted by a commotion at the edge of camp.
# # #
"Hey repair boy, how ya been?" Percy said from where he was leaning against a tree, Thalia behind him.
Leo took a deep breath. "Weeeeelllllll," he started, preparing to launch into a long winded story.
"We don't have time for that," Calypso interrupted, knowing what was coming.
"She's right," Hazel said. "We're looking for Hannah and Jacob, have you seen them? We think they're injured, and pretty bad."
Percy looked back at Thalia for approval. "Bring them," she responded with a nod. The rest of the Hunters reacted immediately, surrounding the intruders and herding them towards camp.
"Where are we going?" Frank asked.
"Ya," Leo added. "We need to find Hannah and Jacob."
"I'll explain everything once we get back to our camp," Percy cryptically replied.
Leo started to say something else, but was hit by one of the hunters before he could.
"Silence, boy," she snarled. "We may not have killed you, yet, but do not think for a moment that we won't castrate you." Leo and Frank gulped nervously.
"Chill out Liza," Percy laughed. "They won't try anything, won't they," he finished with a glare towards the two boys. Leo and Frank both frantically shook their heads in agreement.
It only took a few minutes before they reached the edge of camp. "Where is Lady Artemis?" Thalia questioned a hunter who was passing by.
"Probably in her tent," she replied.
"Alright, thanks Tracey," Thalia responded before leading the group forward.
"So, about our friends," Hazel said hesitantly. "You have any idea where they might be?"
"Why don't you see for yourself," Percy grinned as he pointed to three figures walking towards them.
"Took ya long enough!" Jacob shouted as he walked towards the group, a huge smile on his face.
A huge grin broke out on Leo's face, but it faltered when he saw the condition they were in. "Oh gods, what happened," Leo asked when they were closer.
"What, you didn't know that I had a glass eye?" Jacob said, his face a mask of seriousness.
"Ya, I thought it was common knowledge," Percy added, playing along.
"And you call yourself a Son of Hephaestus," Thalia snorted. "Ya right, couldn't even sniff out an artificial eye."
Leo, Frank, and Hazel all looked dumbfounded and guilty at the same time. "Sorry, we didn't know," Hazel said meekly.
The group of Hunters plus Hannah and Jacob couldn't hold it in anymore. They burst out laughing, making the group of four look even more confused.
"Dude, it's fine," Jacob said once he regained control. "I was just messing with you. Got into a fight with a Hellhound a few days ago, it caused all this," he said, gesturing to his face.
"Ya, but you should see the 'Hound," Percy scoffed.
"Oh ya, I never did ask. Was that you I saw stabbing it like a madman while riding it like it was a bucking bronco before I blacked out?"
Percy blushed as everyone turned to him. "Ya, I got a little carried away," said while rubbing the back of his neck.
"As much as I would like to stay here and catch up, we should see Lady Artemis," Thalia said. "She wanted to see you two once you got out of Med, and she'll want to speak with you four." Thalia then dismissed the scouting party before leading everyone to Artemis' tent. Once inside they all sat down on the furs. Percy and Thalia sat on either side of their lady, while everyone else sat in a semicircle in front of her. Clara followed them inside, sitting down by her brother at the edge of the semicircle.
"Why are you here, young one?" Artemis asked Clara, a slight frown on her face.
"Please Lady Artemis, don't make her leave," Jacob pleaded respectfully.
"And why is that?"
"I don't want to leave my brother, I haven't seen him for a long time," Clara answered timidly.
Artemis nodded, accepting the answer. "I understand why you have brought Ms. Andle and Mr. Firth before me, but why the others?" Artemis questioned.
"We thought that you would like to speak with them, M'Lady," Percy said. "They were searching for Jacob and Hannah. Leo and Calypso helped rescue them from the clutches of Annabeth as well."
"Very well. How are the two of you feeling," she asked Hannah and Jacob.
"Much better," Hannah replied. "Thank you for your hospitality. The hand is great."
"That is good to hear, but what about you Mr. Firth?"
Jacob seemed surprised that she addressed him directly. "Oh, um, I've been better, I guess," he said. "Can't complain too much though, seeing as I'm still alive."
"Understandable," Artemis nodded. "Now, what is your purpose here?" she asked Leo, Calypso, Frank, and Hazel.
"Frank and I decided to help Leo and Calypso search for Jacob and Hannah after he came to Camp Jupiter for aid. Camp Jupiter understands the circumstances placed upon the two of them, and gives them full support. Jacob and Hannah are welcome anytime," Hazel explained.
"I see," Artemis replied. "You mentioned an escape, could you please explain the circumstances surrounding that?" she then asked Jacob and Hannah.
"Annabeth got it in her head that we were plotting with Periplanómenos to overthrow her from her position of controlling Camp Half-Blood," Jacob explained.
"So one afternoon after we had been talking with Percy, she, Jason, and Piper ambushed us by the cabins," Hannah added. "Jason knocked us out, and the next thing we knew we were chained up in a cell."
Everyone was frowning at this point. "Clara, could you please leave," Jacob whispered to his sister. "I don't want you to have to hear about what they did to us, I couldn't put you through that," Reluctantly, she got up and left.
"What did they do to you?" Percy asked. "I saw you a couple of times in my dreams, and you didn't look good."
"We got no food, only nectar, ambrosia, and the occasional crust of bread and cup of water sustained us. We were tortured too. At first it was small, they just beat us," Jacob explained. "But as time passed, it got worse." He then turned to Thalia at this point. "Your brother had a favorite method. He would dump water on us, and the, and then. . ." Jacob couldn't finish the sentence.
"He would hit us with lightning," Hannah finished quietly. Everybody looked shocked, sickened, and extremely angry.
"I have no brother," Thalia growled. "Next time I see that boy I will kill him!"
"Luckily, Leo and a few others found us," Jacob said.
After a few moments of awkward silence, Artemis spoke. "I am truly sorry to hear about your ordeal. The perpetrators better pray that they never find themselves within the Hunt's grasp, or so help them Zeus." She then turned to the four searchers. "I thank you for your concern for your friends, and I trust that you will escort them to Camp Jupiter safely."
They nodded, and moved to leave. "Excuse me, Lady Artemis. If I may?" Hannah said. Artemis nodded for her to go on. "May Jacob and I have permission to travel with the Hunt?"
She seemed to be considering it when Jacob also spoke up. "Lady Artemis, I know that you do not like me because of how my father acts around the Hunters, but I promise that I am not the same way, I respect them, and the oath they have made. Please Lady Artemis, do not make us leave Percy or my sister."
"Very well, you may stay for the time being," she replied. "But do not think for a moment that I will hesitate to castrate you if you try anything."
"Thank you, Lady Aartemis," Jacob replied. "I will not disappoint you."
Hannah noticed that their other friends were sad, and turned to them. "Hey, don't worry. We promise to IM." They all nodded.
Artemis dismissed the group, and they all walked outside. Once out, Hannah pulled Leo off to the side and started speaking with him in a hushed tone so nobody else could hear. Clara was also waiting outside, and jumped up when her brother came out. After a few minutes, Hannah and Leo returned. "What was that all about?" Jacob asked.
"Oh. . . nothing," Hannah responded. "Just had a question." Everyone seemed to accept that answer. The group of friends said their goodbyes, and then Leo called down Festus to carry half of them back to Camp Jupiter.
# # #
Night had fallen over the camp, and the Hunters were gathered around the fire laughing, joking, and telling stories. Percy was just staring into the flames, while Clara, Hannah, and Jacob sat away from the group, talking. As Percy sat there silently, he noticed a young girl tending to the flames in front of him. "Lady Hestia, what are you doing here?"
"Hello Percy," she smiled warmly. "I am tending to your hearth. I must say, it is nice to feel you so full of happiness again. You had me concerned for the past few years."
"You knew I wasn't dead?"
"Of course, I have kept a close eye on you all these years."
"Oh," he dumbly replied. "So why are you tending this hearth?"
"Because the Hunt is full of joy and hope," Hestia explained. "You have brought them together Percy, they are a family more than ever now."
Percy was left blushing as the goddess dissolved into a flurry of flames, leaving him to contemplate what had just been said. Who else knows I'm not dead? Percy wondered.
# # #
"You never got a chance to answer my questions earlier," Jacob said to Clara.
She looked at both Jacob and Hannah before letting out a sigh. "It started maybe four or five years ago, when mom met Levi," she said with disgust. "He was nice. It wasn't long before they were dating pretty seriously, and had been going out for nearly two years before mom got in an accident. She was on the way to work one night, and got in a car accident. She didn't make it." Tears started streaming down Jacob's cheek at this news. "I think Levi showed his true colors after that, he wasn't a nice man. He took me around the country, beating me whenever he felt like it." Jacob's face was so red with anger upon hearing this that you couldn't even see the gashes from the Hellhound anymore. "But then Percy found me, and brought me here," Clara finished.
Jacob put his head in his hands, trying to process everything. "Excuse me," he said after a few minutes before getting up and walking back towards the fire.
Percy could feel a presence coming towards him, so he rose to greet it. "Hey Sunny-D," he greeted Jacob.
Not responding, he just simply threw his arms around Percy, pulling him into a tight hug as tears streamed down his cheek. "Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you for saving my sister from that man."
A/N: Sorry for another filler chapter guys, I swear we are going somewhere with the story! At least Jacob and Hannah are off of bed-rest now, plus they are no longer hated by CJ. Plus, Jacob had a tear filled reunion with his sister. That Levi fellow better watch out, or anyone that would harm her for that matter, Jacob seems royally pissed right now!
I hope that Y'All have a fantastic day!