Reyna woke to thin rays of light streaming through the window. It took her a moment to recognize where she was but more importantly there was a figure standing in the doorway. Blinking sleep from her eyes she noticed it was Piper.

"Jason says he made breakfast. Just thought you should know." Piper shifted awkwardly, her eyes observing the situation with a keen intensity. Reyna didn't realize why at first until she registered the form clinging to her own.

Thalia had her legs tangled with hers, the sheets askew, with her head resting lightly on Reyna's shoulder while Reyna's hand had settled on the slight curve of her waist.

"No need to hurry. Take your time." Piper's slight surprise turned into an amused expression. Reyna said nothing as the girl headed down the hall. She knew plenty well that rushing Thalia awake was a horrible idea. The girl could turn into a grizzly bear. For instance the time they'd had a sleepover and Jason woke her up early. Little Reyna was pretty sure she had a grizzly bear for a friend.

Instead, Reyna sighed and closed her eyes again relaxing in the slight warmth of morning light. Thalia stirred slightly and Reyna knew it wouldn't be long until she was awake as well. She absentmindedly played with the tousled strands of Thalia's hair. She remembered when it was longer, not by much, and she used to make ridiculous hairstyles with it. Thalia had always loved it when people played with her hair, she was very much like a cat in that regard.

"Is it morning?" Thalia groaned her voice raspy from sleep. Reyna laughed and opened her eyes to study her friend who'd only now started disentangling their limbs.

"Yes, the sun's up." Reyna pointed out. Thalia nodded and stood stretching her arms above her head.

"You can borrow some clothes again if you want." She offered already looking through her closet. "Here. You'd look killer in this."

Thalia tossed her a tattered pair of jeans a black plaid shirt and grey jacket. Reyna didn't argue and began to pull the clothes on after discarding the already borrowed night shirt. She did in fact look better than she would have guessed but it was different from her normal attire.

"You can head to breakfast I'll be out in a bit I have to tame my hair." Thalia sighed heading to the bathroom.

"Alright." Reyna hesitantly left the room behind and made her way to the kitchen where a quiet and awkward breakfast was taking place with hushed whispers. It grew quiet when Reyna stepped into view and three sets of eyes settled on her. "Um...morning."

"Hey." Piper smiled being the first to recover from the sudden silence. Reyna was surprised to see Jason sitting next to his mother but more surprised that she seemed to be in a normal state for once.

Reyna grudgingly took the seat next to Piper and folded her hands in her lap. She didn't move or reach for any of the food. The silence continued on far longer than it needed to. Thalia saved the day when she appeared from the hallway.

Reyna paused for a moment to study her. She wore black boots like always. Her legs were covered by black fish net tights with a pair of black shorts settled over them. A band tank top graced her torso. Reyna had never heard of them before, it read Harpies.

"Hold the talk guys I know I'm important." Thalia replied sarcastically taking a seat next to Reyna and reaching for the food. "You not hungry Rey?"

"Oh no I'm fine." Reyna smiled thinly. Jason cleared his throat from where he sat. Thalia turned her head slightly in his direction.

"You know I hate it when you do that if you want to talk just talk." Thalia sighed leaning back in her seat to look at Jason.

"I don't necessarily want to bring this up but I'm leaving soon so I figured I should address it now." The tension only grew with that statement. Reyna noticed Thalia's leg bouncing rapidly beneath the table. "I'm concerned about you."

The statement was so sudden Piper dropped her fork in surprise and bashfully picked it up.

"Um....okay. Why?" Thalia asked a frown clouding her features.

"Your grades are terrible." Jason said bluntly. "You're close to being suspended again for poor behavior in class with other students."

Thalia's shoulders stiffened. "Okay we are not having this conversation I just wanted a fucking pancake."

"Thalia. Listen." It was the first time Reyna had heard Beryl Grace utter a single word since the time she'd been back in town. Her voice was very quiet, hardly more than a whisper, timid but raspy.

Thalia's jaw was set and a muscle in her cheek twitched. Piper pretended to be looking at an interesting spot on the table. Reyna couldn't blame her. It felt like they shouldn't be there.

"You have to fix whatever is going on. If it means that you refrain from socializing as much then so be it. I think it would be a wise decision if you stayed away from the twins-" Jason was cut off by Thalia's palm smacking loudly against the table as she stood.

"Jason I love you dearly but please stop talking you don't know anything that's going on right now and acting like you do is only making me mad." It was a fair statement. She didn't sound angry, just a deadly calm. Reyna figured he'd keep quiet but she knew Jason was stubborn.

"I know you've lost friends and if you need someone to talk to then by all means go ahead there's no shame in it."  Piper shot a nervous glance in Jason's direction.

"I'm afraid, Jason, that she's made it quiet clear this conversation is over." Reyna couldn't help but speak with an icy tone. She knew first hand what it was like when he chose not to listen.

Jason's eyes narrowed and his gaze locked onto Reyna. "I don't think you're part of this conversation at the moment."

"Jason." Piper warned but it was pointless.

"Don't talk to her like that." Thalia frowned. "Just because you dumped her doesn't mean you get to walk all over her. And second of all you're right I have lost friends. You tell me what it's like when people you know get killed and vanish. I dare you to tell Nico or Artemis or Percy to get over it. The only reason you're telling me is because I'm your sister."

"That's exactly it. You're my sister and my responsibility." He nodded.

"I'm not your responsibility I'm her responsibility." Thalia gestured irritatedly at her mother who'd been watching in a meek silence.   "We all know how well of a job she does."

"Thalia." Jason's voice was as firm as steel. "Be careful with what you say."

"No you listen here. You haven't been here for shit Jason. Stop acting like you know everything." With that Thalia shoved her chair over and walked off from the table. Reyna watched as she grabbed her jacket by the door and stormed outside.

"You really aren't good at listening." Reyna said shaking her head.

"Like you would know." Jason frowned looking offended.

"I would know." Reyna retorted. "You never let me explain myself to you. Whether it was when we disagreed, or you thought I wasn't exactly invested in the attempted relationship."

"You're not pinning this on me." Jason argued.

Reyna's attention turned to Piper. "Good luck with this dip shit. He's your responsibility now. You're pretty and seem smart. No hard feelings."

Reyna was the next to leave heading outside into the nippy air. She didn't see Thalia at first before heading down the driveway and spotting the girl making her way down the street at an angry pace.

Reyna didn't quite know where Thalia was going but she seemed to be on a mission. The front door opened and Reyna spotted Jason step outside following her gaze.

"She's done this before she'll be back." He shrugged despite the fact that Thalia was now out of sight.

"Done what?" Reyna asked fixing him with a glare.

"Run away for the evening." He replied.  The response set Reyna's nerves on edge. Thalia couldn't disappear for the day on her own, not with the crazy stuff happening.

Reyna said nothing to Jason as she took off at a run. Feet pounding against the sidewalk as she sprinted down the street following Thalia's path. Turning the corner sharply Reyna ran on, arms pumping.

She stumbled across a vacant park in the faint morning light. Thalia was sitting on the roof of the play house tossing rocks at birds on the ground looking for a free meal.

Panting, Reyna paused just at the base of the play set. "You know you're not going to be able to get down from there because you'll be scared."

Thalia snapped out of whatever daze she was in and peered over the side. She opened her mouth to protest but when her cheeks paled Reyna could tell Thalia knew she was right.

Reyna collected herself for a moment and clambered up the side with ease before she sat on the edge next to Thalia.

"Sometimes he makes me so angry." Thalia sighed tucking her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on them.

"I know what you mean but he hasn't been here he's not going to understand anything if you don't explain it." Reyna leaned back on her elbows still sapped from her almost two mile sprint.

"The less people who know about everything the better. You said so yourself. It's just between us. The last thing I need is something to happen to him." Reyna couldn't quiet understand how Thalia was so desperate to protect her brother when he could be so infuriating.

"What's been going on in class? You're gonna get suspended if you have another infraction?" Reyna questioned gently. Jason had made good points, it was important to know about these things, but when someone said they didn't want to talk you need to listen.

"I hate everyone Reyna. So many damn people." Thalia glowered staring angrily at a pigeon.

"I know how that feels." Reyna sighed.

"Yeah. Well..." Thalia swallowed hard trying to collect her crazy thoughts. "Drew Tanaka is in three of my classes and she's a nightmare. She knows exactly how to agitate me. And no one ever sees her do anything wrong!"

Reyna knew what that was like. She'd had the same problem with Octavian for quite some time.

"What does she say?" Reyna asked watching a butterfly float past on the morning breeze.

Thalia didn't respond. Reyna didn't know why. Until at last the other girl mumbled a reply. "I-Luke told her something personal okay? It's why he- stopped me when we went to dinner. I owe him and he has too much leverage over me. It's why I was trying to be quiet about investigating everything. If he finds out he'll ask for me to repay him and I don't know how bad it'll be."

"So he's black mailing you? He can go to prison for that!" Reyna scoffed giving Thalia an incredulous look.

"Reyna, he and I both know that but it doesn't change anything. Do you honestly think the police system around here isn't corrupt?" It was a fair question. The obvious answer was no. The police system was corrupt. All the way down to its core.

"What exactly did you do? What exactly happened to get him to black mail you? Start from the beginning." Reyna demanded. "You seriously didn't tell me this sooner?"

"Dude, I didn't want to drop a loaded bomb on you as soon as you got back and it's not like I'm fond about the memories." Thalia replied. "What I tell you. Right now. In this moment. It stays here. Between us okay?"

"Of course. I'd never tell anyone anything you didn't want me to." Reyna sat up and crossed her legs looking intently at Thalia.

"It was when you left. Sophomore and Junior year. Luke and I were friends, really close and all that. Annabeth was part of our group at the time. It felt nice to have friends again, I wasn't so alone." Thalia explained her eyes darting around the scenery as if she was picturing exactly what she was saying. "This was when I was just getting to know the other girls. Artemis, Zoë, and Bianca so I bounced between groups quite frequently."

"Makes sense." Reyna nodded waiting for her to continue.

"Anyways, we were a lot alike. Luke and I. We both had daddy and mommy issues. We liked the same things, had the same style, everything. It was almost perfect. Something happened along the lines. I guess he fell in love with me." Thalia shrugged resting her chin on her knees again. "I liked him too but I'd never been in love before."

"You didn't know what it was like or what to do." Reyna mumbled understanding perfectly what that was like.

"We dated for some time and I thought things were good. Like I was doing what I was supposed to." Thalia paused a look of conflict shifting her features. "He was a good guy."

"What changed?" Reyna asked gently.

"There's a reason I don't want to go to home coming. Not just because it's stupid but because I went last year and I made the biggest mistake of my life." Reyna watched as she stared almost blankly ahead. "Luke was never one to get involved with bad things but people get caught up in the occasion. We didn't really dress up. It was just to see what it was like because we'd never gone before. Anyways, we headed back to his place when it was over. I drove. He had gotten pretty intoxicated."

Reyna could sense that things were about to take a sharp down hill slope. She could even infer part of what was going to happen.

"I wanted to make sure he got back in one piece. His mom wasn't home. I practically dragged him to his room because he could hardly stand. It wasn't that odd. I mean, I've done it with my mom before but there's a difference. I'm stronger than my mother but not him." Thalia frowned at the thought. "He kissed me. Differently than usual. I had no freaking idea what to do. I let it all happen. Just followed his lead. I didn't understand what was  going on until it was over and I felt gross. Not how you see it on tv or in movies."

Reyna's heart sank slightly. She never would have pin pointed Thalia as the type of person to ever do such a thing. She was a bit disappointed.

"Things were different after that. I think he could tell I was avoiding him. That I was disgusted and more importantly that maybe I hated him a bit." Thalia shifted uncomfortably. "He approached me and asked me why. Why it wasn't something I...liked. I couldn't explain it. He got mad and we broke it off. But I think he figured it out eventually."

"Figured what out?" Reyna whispered.

"I don't know." Thalia replied.

"That's not an answer. I'm your best friend you can tell me anything. I'm not going to judge you." Reyna laughed but Thalia didn't share the same cheery attitude.

"Ever think there's a reason I liked hanging out with the other girls so much? Why I was so comfortable with things other people weren't?" Thalia turned her bright blue eyes onto Reyna. They burned with a deep intensity. "Almost like I could relate to Zoë's caution when it came to expressing certain things."

Reyna struggled to process the information. Thalia wanted her to figure it out. To make some sort of inference. It was obvious only when Reyna realized it. Like a bright neon sign flashing in the distance.

"You're gay." Reyna said earning a nod in response. "I thought it was gonna be something world ending. That's it?"

"Yeah." Thalia nodded.

"Oh. Okay." Reyna shrugged. Thalia gave her an odd look. "What?"

"You're not worried like other people would be? Afraid that I'm gonna hit on you? You know, that sort of thing?"

"Uh no." Reyna replied. "Dude, don't forget that my sister is a raging bisexual. I'm perfectly fine with this."

Thalia shook her head smiling slightly. "You're one of a kind you know that? The literal best friend in the entire world."

"I know." Reyna smirked flipping her hair dramatically. "Now, as for Luke. He can piss off because we're getting to the bottom this. We're finding everything out and we're doing it together."

Thalia smiled standing up and tugging Reyna to her feet. "Dynamic duo back at it again."

"Agreed." Reyna smiled brightly. "Maybe along the way we can find you a badass girlfriend."

"Ah. How about we don't." Thalia said. "I'm not gonna date for a long time. Romance break for me."

"Same." Reyna laughed. "So...about that data card."

"Did you contact your hacker friend?" Thalia asked thankful for the sudden change in topic.

"Yep. Tomorrow we get to see what's on it." Reyna gave an evil smile.

"Hell yes. We're coming for you universe." Thalia cupped her hands around her mouth. "Fuck the world!"

Reyna laughed as Thalia yelled loudly the breeze blowing through her hair. She seemed happier having gotten rid of a burden. Her smile was bright and beautiful. Reyna stood on the edge of the play set roof and cupped her hands around her mouth as well. "Woohoo!"

The sound echoed across the field and through the neighborhood. Reyna laughed so hard she nearly doubled over. It was a moment that could have been cinematic. A sort of coming of age battle cry.

The two stood there for a moment smiling at one another before yelling loudly once more. "Fuck the world!"