He couldn't be bothered to care about the wet slowly sinking it's way through his grass stained pants. All he could think of was how this couldn't be happening. How he had not yet woken up from this nightmare before him. The sky was crying and he couldn't blame it. All the happiness from the world disappeared the moment she was gone.

Their eyes had caught each other's and he could see a slight tug upward of her lips. Her hair was matted. There was dirt on her face and a cut on her arm, but she was beautiful. The look she gave him sent a wave of intensity down to his toes and his insides melted.

His insides were melting now for a different reason. Instead of a slow simmer, making its way through his body, he felt burned. The air could no longer find its way to his lungs. Not when she was gone.

He saw the sword before she did. Before he had a chance to warn her. His screams had mixed with hers as he sprinted. Something else took care of the guy while he caught her before she hit the floor.

"Sil.. Silena…" Warm blood was oozing its way through her shirt onto his hands. Her face was pale and he was certain he wasn't breathing as he looked at her. "Silena." She took a shaky breathe.

"C-charlie…" He shushed her.

"Don't talk. Just look at me. Medics are on their way." He could still hear the battle around them. "Just keep looking at me Silena."

"I love you Charlie…" The light was fading from her eyes.

"No no no. Sil, hang on just, just hang on." He shouted for someone to help. He could see one of the Apollo kids trying to make his way over.

She coughed up blood, "I love you." Her eyes started to close.

"Silena I love you please, please don't close your eyes…"

The medic showed up. He was too late.

Her shroud was hot pink with little metal bolts running through it. Nyssa thought it would be a good touch and the Aphrodite cabin had agreed. Beckendorf watched blankly as speeches were said in honor of the daughter of Aphrodite. He declined the offer to speak. Drew placed the shroud in the fire and he winced when it started to burn. He felt like he was in a dream, wading through the fog. He had once been at a funeral where Annabeth had been crying over Percy before the son of Poseidon crashed his own funeral. The same thing did not happen for Silena. The fire grew, blazing bright like he had always watched Silena's eyes do.

"Charlie! Come on you slow poke!" she was pulling him through the mall. He was purposely dragging his steps. She tugged his hand and pulled him in for a kiss before laughing. He couldn't help laugh along with her. Her eyes were a bright blue and he knew if he kept staring he would blank out. "CHARLIE!" she screamed. In her hand was a purse. He saw the price and quickly shoved it away, grabbing her. "We are leaving." She tried to squirm out of his grip. "BUT CHARLIE IT'S PRADA!" He kept moving towards the door. "Nope."

The fire was sputtering out with the rain. Most of the campers had returned to their cabins. He hardly noticed the footsteps coming up behind him until he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Are you going to stay in the rain?" Beckendorf looked up to see Percy standing above him. He appreciated that Percy didn't ask if he was okay. Behind Percy he could see Annabeth waiting.

"I loved her. We were going to college together in the fall."

They had stupidly applied to only one of the same colleges, and only two of the other colleges were at a close enough proximity to where they could see each other at least once a week. The school's website had stated that the college was sending out acceptance letters this week. Silena had received an envelope already but they were waiting for him to get his so they could open them together.

"Check the mailbox." He looked up at his girlfriend before going back to his game.

"I will later."

"No. NOW CHARLES BECKENDORF." He sighed. She said his full name and he knew what would happen if he didn't do what she said.

"Fine, fine I'm going." He left to the mailbox and returned with an envelope in his hand. He had to catch Silena before she fell after tripping over the couch on her way to him. "Careful there." She rolled her eyes and pulled out her own letter.

"Okay ready?' He nodded. "One. Two. Three." The both ripped open their letters and turned them over. Congratulations, was on the top of both.

Percy sighed and sat down next to Beckendorf. "I know you are hurting. And if you don't want to talk I understand, but maybe don't sit out in the rain for too much longer okay?" Beckendorf nodded, his eyes never leaving the fading flame. Percy waited another moment before getting up and bidding him goodbye. He heard Annabeth and Percy's footsteps and whispers as they walked away. "Do you think he will be okay?" "Not for a while. But he will. Eventually." Beckendorf didn't understand how Annabeth could sound so certain that he would be okay. He was sure that he would never be okay again. The fire died out as did the small bit of hope he had. Silena was gone and so was his happiness.