CHAPTER V

J

A

S

O

N

AFTER GETTING KNOCKED IN THE HEAD FOR THE fourth time in a row, Jason's ego was considerably smaller. He remembered getting knocked out at Camp Jupiter(by a brick, no less) and then on Mediterranean Sea, while Percy the "Hero" saved everyone. Jason grasped the door frame he was leaning on and sighed as sorrow filled his heart.

Why?

Why, after all that Percy and Jason had done together, and considering Percy had fallen in Tartarus, did he still resent his cousin? Well, one side of his mind said, he took your position of praetor in less than a week and made you look powerless and stupid. No, Jason thought. He restored honour back to the fifth court and retrieved the legion's lost standard. But- the other side started.

For Zeus's sake, he was having an argument with himself! Leo passed him in the hall, mumbling to no one in particular. Well, at least he wasn't the only one having mental issues. With that thought, Jason stumbled into his room and collapsed on his bed. The weight on his eyelids was unbearable, and at last his eyes shut.

Of course, the last thing he needed was a vision to ruin the already horrible situation.

Jason was in a vast cave, clothed in darkness. The evil mist seemed to suffocate him, and the dark laughter coming from all directions drove him insane. He began to hyperventilate, and started to run, to run from everything. The darkness....the screams....the laughter, the evil. But, soon he began to see a faint light up ahead. He sprinted towards it and gasped as he found what it was.

It was Percy's sword.

Stopping, he began to search for the two demigods. He was about to give up until his ghostly foot slipped on something and touched something warm. Taking a deep breath, he looked down.

What greeted him was so depressing, he wanted to look away. But he couldn't.

There they were, side by side. Percy's frame was twisted at old angles, and his face was deathly white. Lying off to the side, Annabeth was lying on her stomach, her bubble wrapped cast coated in blood. Even so, their hands were locked, and Jason bet that not even a god could tear them apart.

Jason remembered slipping on something, and he knew what it was. On their own accord, Jason's eyes trailed back to Percy, and his body went numb. Percy was in the mist of a puddle. And not just any puddle.

It was his own blood.

><><><><><><><><><><><><><

Jason thrust his eyes open and nearly flew out of the bed. Sweat drenched his purple shirt, and he was breathing heavily. He shut his eyes and tried to erase the memory of Percy's twisted frame out of his mind.

Yes, that's right Jason Grace. You have let your cousin die. It's your fault they both are dead, Gaea taunted. Take your chance! Gather up your friends and lead them to me! I will take care of them very nicely, yes. She let out a cackle and removed herself from his mind.

He wiped a tear forming in his left eye and pushed away the sky blue covers. He looked at his watch. 1:24.

Sighing, he made his way on to the deck. He was not alone.

Nico stood at the prow, a faraway look on his face and his black hair blowing with the night breeze. Shadows were whipping and lashing out behind him.

"Do you ever wonder, Jason, what it would be like to be normal?"

Jason started. He didn't think Nico knew he was there.

Nico continued.

"Percy told me something, right after I.....lost someone." His voice cracked a little bit, and Jason felt bad for the kid. He was barely thirteen and had gone through enough things to last a lifetime.

"He told me that he wishes he was. He blamed himself for everyone who had ever died fighting with or for him. If he hadn't been born, his friends would never have been hurt. People never would have died.

"He never meant to take your position, Jason. He was forced to." Nico turned to him, and looked into Jason's icy blue eyes.

Jason looked at his feet. Nico's hazel eyes were full of wisdom and sadness beyond his years.

"Resentment gets you nowhere. I know from experience. When Percy promised he would try to keep......someone safe, and she died protecting him, I was stupid. I resented Percy and tried to kill him. He still blames himself for her death."

Jason finally managed to look up and meet his piercing gaze. " How do you know so much? You are only thirteen."

Nico smiled faintly. "Well, I'm typically 73, but, you know. Complicated." He shrugged ad walked down the stairs into the hall.

Jason just stood there, staring into the night. Mostly sorting out his feelings.

Complicated, he thought. Just Complicated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SO JELLYBEANS!!!!! HOW WAS IT? :D

CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM MUCH APPRECIATED!!!!

I promise it won't hurt my feelings. :)

Next chapter will be up by...sometime in the weekend. :D

BE AWESOME AND DON"T BE EATEN BY PINK RABBITS

<>~EagleEye~<>

XD

XD