Willoffire123: So The House of Hades came out on Tuesday.

Percy: What'd you think?

Willoffire123: Loved it. I don't wanna give away anything, but it was full of the right amount of suspense, and the character development was fantastic.

Percy: That's a relief.

Willoffire123: And there's enough material for fangirls all across this website to write dozens upon dozens of angsty fics about you! You've become an even better muse for all us aspiring, wannabe authors!

Percy: Um…thanks?

Willoffire123: You're welcome! Now do the disclaimer!

Percy: Willoffire123 doesn't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians in any way, shape or form.

Willoffire123: You're good.

Percy: Why thank you.

Willoffire123: On with the show!

Jason

Jason shuffled along sleepily back down the hall. Leo had just relieved him from watch duty, saying:

"It's cool man, I just ate a LOT of sugar. I'll be good to go for another few hours."

And so, Jason left the midnight shift up to Leo, Frank and Hazel while he left for some much-needed sleep.

If he'd been even a fraction more awake, maybe he wouldn't have run straight into Piper on the way to his room.

"Jason!" his girlfriend exclaimed. "Perfect timing. I need your help."

"But-" Jason tried to protest. Of course, she didn't listen.

"I'm worried about Annabeth and Percy," said Piper.

He nodded. It was true that Annabeth and Percy had been a bit of a cautious subject for a couple of days now. The two acted almost normal. Of course, the key word here is almost. Because really, after literally living in hell for almost two weeks, how can anyone really be completely normal?

"Why the sudden interest?" he asked. "I mean, we've all been worried about them since they returned from Tartarus."

"Annabeth was running a high fever about an hour ago," said Piper. "I stayed with her until her fever broke a few minutes ago. She's resting now, but I haven't checked Percy yet. Plus, his bandages probably need changing. Will you come with me?"

"I-" Jason started, only to be interrupted by a shrill cry of fear coming from Percy's room.

"Well speak of the devil," said Jason, grabbing Piper by the arm and marching down the hall. "C'mon."

As they approached Percy's door, the shrill cries turned into fragmented sentences, then, a low moan of pain.

"Percy? It's Jason and Piper, we're coming in," called Jason, opening the door. Percy lay curled in the fetal position against the far wall, moaning softly.

"Percy?" Piper asked cautiously. Percy seemed to pay Piper no attention, and continued moaning.

"Percy, come here man," tried Jason, putting a hand on his shoulder, ignoring the painful heat radiating from his back. "Dude, you've got a high fever. Let Piper help you."

"Get out of my head!" Percy shouted, making Jason flinch.

"Careful, he's having a flashback," Piper warned.

"Percy-" Jason started. Percy narrowed in on him, his glazed, sea-green eyes boring into Jason's blue ones. Over the past couple of days, Jason had grown accustomed to the look Percy was giving him. Whenever Percy or Annabeth had one of their 'episodes', Jason saw those wild, cornered eyes. This look was the look of a hunted animal; one who'd seen so much cruelty, that there was no distinction between friend or foe anymore.

It was for that reason that when Percy lunged at him, Jason made no move to dodge or counter him. Percy grabbed Jason by his shirt collar, and slammed him against the wall, hard.

Stars burst into existence, dancing around Jason's pain-filled head. But still, Jason made no move to counter Percy. Now that he had Jason slammed against the wall, Percy didn't seem sure what to do with him. He simply held him there. His mouth was curled into a snarl, but his wild eyes looked cautious, almost as if asking what Jason would do next.

"Jason," Piper hissed in warning. Glancing down, Jason saw what she meant. The bandages wrapped tightly over and around Percy's bare chest were darkening red with blood. His corpse-like face flushed a brilliant pink with fever. He needed to end this quickly; Percy needed treatment, and fast.

Jason met Percy's eyes and said, with as much conviction as he could muster "I am not going to hurt you".

Now, Jason didn't have Piper's charmspeak, but he poured his honesty into those words the best he could. He needed Percy to understand, to pull through his flashback.

To Jason's great surprise, it sort of worked. Percy's arm went slack, and Jason fell, his feet touching down lightly on the wooden floor. Percy backed into a corner, clutching his side, watching Jason carefully. Interestingly enough, he payed Piper no attention whatsoever.

Of course he didn't pay her any attention; his animal instincts were in charge now. Through Percy's eyes, Jason was the real threat. And if Percy passed over Piper because of him, Piper could step in with her charmspeak.

"Hey, Pipes," Jason said out of the corner of his mouth. "Some charmspeak would be great right about now."

Piper ignored him, instead taking three, cautious steps towards Percy.

"Percy…" said Piper, opening her arms.

Percy burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably into Piper's arms.

Piper stroked his dark hair, ignoring the burns she was probably getting all up and down both her arms at that moment, and the blood soaking into her tank top. "Shh, it's okay now Percy. We're here, it's all over," she said softly.

Percy took himself out of Piper's arms and looked at her, and Jason meant he really looked at her for the first time.

"Piper?"

Piper grinned. "Hey Percy."

The part Jason didn't understand was how confused Percy looked. Percy looked around, bewildered.

"What am I doing on the floor?"

"You tell us," said Jason. Percy started, noticing Jason for the first time.

"Jason? What do you…" he trailed off. Then, without warning, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he fainted into Piper's arms.

Piper laid him gently on his bunk. "Stay with him," she ordered. "Ice baths won't work on him, so I need to go get as many fever reducers as I can find." She slapped a roll of ace bandages into Jason's hand. "Re-bandage him when he wakes up. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Before Jason could say otherwise, she'd already left.

"Oh man," said Jason, sinking onto the foot of Percy's bed. Percy looked as red as a beetroot, and Jason hadn't the faintest idea as to what to do about it.

"Not my fault," Percy moaned. "No, stop. Leave her alone."

Jason hadn't a clue what to do. He was no doctor, but he knew Percy had a fever. That had to count for something, didn't it?

"Of course it doesn't, idiot," Jason scolded himself.

Percy screamed so loudly that he woke himself up.

"Jason?" Percy croaked. "Where are we?"

"Hey man," Jason said softly, trying to imitate Piper. "We're in your room on the Argo II. Do you remember what you were doing before you passed out?"

Percy thought for a moment. "I was…" his face morphed into a look of absolute terror.

"Can we not talk about that now?" he pleaded.

"Okay," said Jason. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Why was Nico avoiding me before he, Coach Hedge and Reyna left?" asked Percy.

Jason weighed his options. On the one hand, Percy was running a high fever. He might not even remember this conversation in the morning.

On the other hand, there was the possibility that he'd remember everything, and Jason really preferred to stay out of the Son of Hades' black books.

"Can we not talk about that now?" he pleaded.

Realizing they'd reached a standstill, the two boys stared at each other in silence.

Jason studied Percy's flushed face. Jason didn't really know much about Percy. He'd heard plenty of stories about the dude, from Percy's epic quests and battles, all the way down to goofy stunts he'd pull off at camp, and the evolution of Percabeth. From what he'd heard, Percy sounded like a pretty cool dude.

When he met Percy, they'd clicked pretty well. Through Jason's eyes, a Greek demi-god who gained the trust of very untrusting Romans, earning the top ranking position, no less, deserved Jason's respect.

Still, Jason didn't really know Percy. He'd spent the two weeks the seven spent traveling into the Ancient Lands, up until Percy and Annabeth's fall trying to understand Percy, and how he handled his position of leadership.

After escaping Tartarus, both Percy and Annabeth acted differently. Mainly, they were even more fiercely protective of each other. Both would jump at the slightest noise, and unconsciously reach for their weapon. Neither of them really seemed to trust the rest of us anymore, as if we would turn into monsters at any moment and drag them back into their nightmares.

Jason gazed into Percy's sea-green eyes. At the moment, they were calm, glazed with fever. But Jason had seen his eyes before the fever; the wild storm in those eyes was the look of a hunted animal.

A grunt from Percy snapped Jason out of his thoughts. Percy's face contorted in pain, his fists clutching his sheets in a death grip.

"What's wrong?" Jason asked anxiously. What could be taking Piper so long? The medical bay wasn't that far away, was it?

With extreme visible effort, Percy smoothed his face. "I'm okay."

"Dude, you don't have to bottle all of it in," said Jason earnestly. "If you do, you're just hurting yourself. Now c'mon, where does it hurt?"

"Sides," Percy grumbled in defeat.

"Right then," said Jason, scooping up the roll of bandages Piper gave him. "Your bandages need changing anyway. You need help sitting up?"

Percy grunted, sucking in his breath in an attempt at rising from his bed. He rose about two inches before letting out a small gasp of pain, and flopping back down on his bunk again.

"Guess I do," he said dejectedly, his face snow white under the fever from the exertion. Jason could see the red splotches on Percy's exposed chest growing larger.

"This is bad," said Jason. "Okay, and up we go."

Slowly, and very, very awkwardly, Jason slid one hand under Percy's back, the other under his legs, and lifted him out of bed. Backing up slowly so as not to jostle Percy's ribs, he sat Percy down on the stool next to his bed. Jason couldn't help but marvel at how light Percy was. Whatever weight he had when they'd first met, Percy had lost it on his trip through hell.

With shaking hands, Jason unravelled Percy's bloody bandages.

He whistled in amazement.

"You okay?" Percy asked, turning slowly on his seat.

"Yeah," Jason reassured him quickly. "Don't try to move."

Jason couldn't believe his ears. Percy's back looked like he'd been tossed through a dough-pounder, then a meat-processor, then both at once, and he was asking if Jason was okay?

"These cuts need cleaning again," Jason decided, eyeing the greenish tinge around the damaged areas of flesh. "Do you think you could-"

Percy waved his hand, and a stream of water floated through the open door and hovered at attention.

"Thanks," said Jason, slipping the empty water jug underneath Percy's water stream. Percy let his hand fall, causing the water to go limp and fall into the jug.

After wiping Percy's blood off his hands, Jason poured some water onto Percy's back, and set to work, cleaning out Percy's cuts.

"Does it usually take this long for injuries to heal?" Jason asked curiously.

He felt the muscles in Percy's back tense, his guard back up.

"Dude, it's just a question," Jason said calmly. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Percy slumped in defeat. "No, it's fine. For me, usually just being in water for long enough will heal any injury. But ever since...well, you know".

"Not really," said Jason, circling around to wash Percy's front. "Sorry if this is awkward."

One glance at how much redder Percy's pale face had become told Jason that this was totally awkward. Thankfully, Percy had fewer gashes that needed cleaning on his front, so Jason finished cleaning them quicker.

"Let me know if this hurts," ordered Jason, rubbing Percy dry with a towel.

Percy sighed. "It all hurts, man, it always does. You just learn to deal with it, and push through."

Jason didn't really know how to respond to that. One moment, Percy had him slammed against the wall, the next moment, he was allowing Jason to clean him. Jason unrolled the ace bandages.

"I have no idea what I'm doing," he warned Percy.

"If you turn me into a mummy, I am perfectly okay with that," Percy said, equally serious.

Jason grinned. Percy's easiness came as quickly as all his other mood swings had come so far, but it put Jason at ease, and let him wrap Percy's chest with steady hands.

"That too tight?" he asked nervously. "I think Piper said it should be tight enough to support you, but not tight enough to strangle you."

"I'm impressed you payed attention long enough to retain all that," Percy chuckled.

Jason huffed indignantly. "I can pay attention when it's important!"

Percy swiveled around on his stool. "Sure you can". He winced, clutching his head as if he'd just given himself whiplash.

"Let's get you back into bed," said Jason. "Umm, can you?"

Percy's good mood dulled. "If I couldn't get out of bed, do you really think I can get back in it?"

"Point taken," said Jason, gently lifting Percy off the stool, and lowering him back into his bunk.

"Thanks man," said Percy. "Good advice, too."

Jason grinned. "No problem. What are friends for?"

"What you said about not keeping everything bottled in," Percy started. "You weren't just talking about my injuries, were you?"

Jason remained silent. He didn't dare speak; not when Percy was so close to opening up to him.

"But I have a question for you," he said, still facing the celling. "Are you sure you can handle knowing what Annabeth and I went through down there?"

"Perc, man, we're all demigods," Jason said with a small chuckle. "We're pretty used to horror stories. Everyone's worried about you and Annabeth. If you tell us what happened down there-"

"Have any of you, by any chance thought that there's a reason we aren't telling you anything?" Percy interrupted.

"I-" Jason started.

"No, you haven't," Percy continued. "What we went through down there can never go away. But what if we were to tell you what happened, to recount what happened with Nyx, or with the aria. To retell the battles with monsters that I sent there, calling for my blood, and how I believed them; I was already dying in hell, catching me would be easy."

Jason sat in silence. Percy's voice had been getting louder and louder as he continued speaking. He looked angry, but Jason let him continue.

"What would happen," he said in a hollow voice. "If I told you how Annabeth and I had to actually die to use the Death Mist just to sneak past Gaea's army and reach the doors, and that just as everything was about to work out, we saw the human incarnation of Tartarus. Tell me, Jason, what would happen if I described exactly how it feels to face the most ancient incarnation of evil, knowing he could devour our souls with one thought. Tell me, Jason, what would happen if I told you that I was right in front of the doors, our escape from that living nightmare, when I realized that someone needed to hold that UP button for 12 minutes, and I had to stay behind to get Annabeth to safety. And tell me, Jason Grace, what would happen if I told you that as I prepared to sacrifice myself to save my girlfriend, Bob and Damasen sacrificed the chance to see the sun and stars again and fought Tartarus so we could escape through the doors?"

Jason gaped at Percy in utter horror.

"Heh, that's exactly what I expected you to do," Percy said bitterly. "There, I told you what happened. You happy now?"

"Percy, you have no idea how much my respect for you just rose," said Jason. "I don't think you should tell the others what you told me."

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"No," said Jason. "That's the sort of thing that never goes away. But you can bury it and leave it alone for now. You're alive, Annabeth's alive, isn't that what you wanted?"

Percy nodded. "But Bob-"

"I have no idea who Bob is," said Jason. "Or Damasen, but they sacrificed themselves so that you and Annabeth could come back to live another day, right? If you remember them like that, I'm sure it'll make them happy."

Percy relaxed. "Yeah, it probably would."

"It would make me happy too," said Jason. "We need the real you to come back. You're the glue that holds everyone together, man. Plus, I can't lead without my co-leader anymore."

Percy grinned lazily. "I can't leave you guys alone for a second, can I?"

"Nope," said Jason. "But I think your medication's here."

On cue, Piper slipped by the door, a paper bag in one hand, a tall glass of water in the other.

"Sorry guys, it took a while to find everything," Piper apologized. "Percy, can you sit up to take these?"

Jason helped Percy into a sitting position and held him there while Piper coaxed three large, blue pills down his throat.

"Disgusting," Percy gagged.

"It's medicine," said Piper. "That's its job."

"You're amazing, Pipes," said Jason with a kiss to her forehead.

"I'm your girlfriend," said Piper with a smirk. "That's my job."

"Oh yeah," said Jason. "I cleaned Percy's cuts, and changed his bandages."

Then it was Piper's turn to reward Jason with a kiss to the cheek.

"You'd make a fine nurse," she giggled.

"I think I'm gonna barf," said Percy, rolling his eyes.

"C'mon man, you and Annabeth are way worse," Jason retorted.

"That's different," Percy insisted. "She's Annabeth." His face split into a wide grin. "And she's standing right behind you."

Jason and Piper spun around. Sure enough, Annabeth leaned against the doorframe behind them, wrapped in a blanket, and surveyed the trio with interest. Although she had a halo of bandages around her head, bandages snaking down her arm, and a cast on her foot, Annabeth looked much better. Well, she looked better than Percy, anyway.

"Annabeth, what are you doing out of bed?" Piper scolded.

"I heard you guys talking," said Annabeth. "I wanted to see what was happening."

"But Annabeth," Piper insisted. "You need to rest. And I wanted to take a look at Percy's leg again."

"Scoot over, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth ordered. Percy obliged, allowing Annabeth to snuggle down next to him.

She tapped Percy's cast with her own. "Looks okay to me," she said lightly.

"Okay, okay," said Piper, throwing up her hands in defeat. "We get it, right Jason?" she asked, elbowing Jason in the ribs.

"Ow," Jason whined. "What? Oh, yeah. Sure, sure. What do we get?"

Piper rolled her eyes. "Boys," she told a patient Annabeth. "Am I right?"

"Yep," Annabeth said sleepily.

"We'll be fine," Percy insisted, his eyes drooping. "You guys can go now."

"Exactly what I was saying," said Piper, steering Jason to the door. "Besides, I can hear Frank and Hazel coming this way. It's our turn for guard duty."

"Jason?" asked Percy just as Jason turned to leave. Jason glanced back at the half-asleep hero. "Thanks, man."

Jason grinned. "Anytime." And he and Piper left the couple to rest.

Jason and Piper made a brief stop at Piper's room to get her sword before climbing the stairs to the deck.

"So," said Piper. "I know I was gone for a while. What did you and Percy talk about?"

Jason thought for a moment. Percy was right; the others weren't ready to hear that story just yet.

Jason grinned. "It doesn't matter. With that fever, he probably won't remember a word of it in the morning."

Meanwhile, below deck, Percy Jackson smiled sleepily.

"That's what you think, Jason Grace."

Willoffire123: Bromance!

Percy: What's a bromance?

Willoffire123: everything you just did with Jason.

Percy: Uh…okay?

Willoffire123: Until next time folks!