"I love you."

At first, Piper wasn't sure that she had heard him correctly. Here she was, standing in the middle of the plaza, her body up against his. And, and he loved her? He loved her. She couldn't believe that he had just said it. She tightened her grip on him, scared that he might be gone again.

"I-I love you too." She was able to mutter it out through her sobbing. Her entire body was shaking, her legs trembling greatly.

Percy broke the hug and looked into her eyes. "I'm sorry. With Drew, I didn't even realize what I was doing. I was an idiot. I-I-I just thought you didn't want anything with me, and I-I just-"

He didn't get to finish his explanation. Apparently, that had been enough for Piper, because she pressed her lips against his.

Percy was taken back at first, but he soon leaned into it. He wrapped his hands around her waist, pressing her body against his. He broke the kiss, looking into her eyes.

Piper felt in perfect nirvana. For so long, she had wanted Percy back. She had loved him, but was too scared to admit that. But now, now everything was going to alright. Finally, finally it was possible that they could be together.

Piper looked back into his eyes, tears still streaming fresh from her eyes.

Percy's hand moved to her cheek, wiping the tears away from her. "Piper, please, what-what happened-"

Percy realized that it might be a common trend of Piper to kiss him whenever she wanted him to shut up, because she pressed her lips against hers again.
"Percy. One day, I swear to Zeus, I will tell you what happened. But tonight, tonight I just want you." Her eyes were still streaming fresh of tears, and she buried her head in her shoulder. She simply let the tears roll out. Finally, things would change.

・・・

Piper had been living in a small hotel ever since leaving for Lille, and she led him back there once she'd mustered enough strength to keep walking forward.

The two walked in the door of the hotel room, Piper flicking on the room to reveal what it held.

Dirty laundry laid across the entire room, in every corner were a few empty bottles and Percy immediately counted 3 different bottles of wine across the room.

"Piper… what have you been doing in here?'

"Wh-what do you mean?" She shuffled around the room, doing her best to clean the room.

That was when Percy noticed the light pink on her arm. He took a closer look, and realized for sure it was what he thought. He crossed the room and grabbed her by the arm.

"Percy-"

He pulled up her sleeve.

Across the underside of her arm was a collection of scars, some fresh and some not. "Piper. Oh gods Piper, when did you do this?"

She reactively pulled the sleeve back down, color rushing to her face. "Percy, it's not important."

"No, Pipes, I think it is important. What do you think you're doing? Do you know how stupid this is?"

"I'm sorry, I just-"

"Piper, I left everything behind. I left everything for you." He ran his hands down her arms. "I-I can't bare to see you hurt. Please, Piper, don't ever do this again."

Piper broke down. She pressed her head against Percy's chest and wept.

Percy ran his hand down her back. The two of them stood there, standing in the middle of the rundown motel room.

・・・

The next day came after a long night of restlessness for both of them. All they had been through, everything they had done, it was hard to sleep with those thoughts swirling through their minds.

The next day they decided they were ready to go. They packed their bags and got on a 8:15 train to Dunkirk. They knew that from there, Percy would be able to get them almost anywhere from the English Channel.

Only 2 hours after they had woken up, they were facing the English Channel. Percy turned to Piper.

"Well then, hippocampus?"

"Hippocampus it is." She wrapped her hand in his and the two of them stepped into the water.

Almost immediately, the beast emerged from the water. The two of them climbed on. Piper wrapped her arms around Percy and moved in closer. The hippocampus took over across the English Channel, leaving France behind.

For the first time, it became apparent all that had happened in that country. Percy thought of Drew, and what her fate had become. Piper thought of the alleyway, and what had happened in it. There was so much they hadn't't told the other. But one way or another, the truth was going to come out.