38 Chapter 38: The Fates Must Hate Me

I stayed with her up until the doctor shooed me out of the room to get proper rest back at Renée's. I agreed, but only because Annabeth was chastising me because I had a stabbing pain in my back from sleeping in the char.

'You do know this empathy link thing isn't going to help matter when I go through shit,' I said as I trudged up to my room

"Yes, I do realize that," Annabeth said behind me after I closed my door, "now go take a shower and get to sleep."

I turned around tiredly, "When did you get here," I asked wearily

"Renée had picked me up before she picked you up," my mother said with a chuckle then hung her invisibility cap in the air in front of me. "I was in the backseat of the car making sure nothing happened."

"That is something I would do," I muttered as I looked at the pile of books then my mother's glaring face. "Alright, I'm going," I said as I went into the walk-in closet grabbing some clothes, "I'm guessing that you're going to keep ahold of that so I don't sneak out?"

"Yes, and I'm staying in here until you fall asleep so don't try any tricks Zoë," she said as I stepped out of the closet with a sports bra, leggings, and underwear. "You do know I told you to get pajamas right," she asked as I chuckled

"These are my pajamas," I said holding the clothes up, "just ask Renée, she'll tell you since she's been the one to wake me up most of the time."

Annabeth chuckled, "Go take a shower," she said, "make sure the water heals the knot in your back," she added as I walked into the bathroom. I gave her a thumbs-up before I closed the door and set the clothes on the sink before I took off the clothes that I have worn for a couple of days. I looked myself in the mirror as my shirt fell to the floor.

"This is just the beginning," I said to myself as I looked at the scars all over my body. When Chaos had returned my limbs to me he made sure that I kept the scars from the gunshots on them to remind me of the past. I traced a long scar on my side as I tried to remember where I got it from. Giving up I finished undressing myself and stepped into the shower with my back yelling at me after hours upon hours of sitting by Sammy's bed. I turned on the shower and let the water pound on my back willing it to smooth out the knot as I straightened out. I closed my eyes as I let it wet my hair and sighed. "Can't catch a break in my life," I muttered before I opened my eyes and grabbed the shampoo and began washing myself. Soon I stepped out of the shower, I heated my body so I was dry noticing how the water steamed off. "How did I not notice that on her," I said with a chuckle as I started dressing myself once more. Once I got my leggings on I felt the pens appear in one of the pockets, "Gotta love leggings that have pockets," I said with an amused chuckle. I was not feeling up to sleeping with the pens jabbing at my hip. Before leaving the bathroom I brushed my teeth and grabbed my clothes

"I hope that shower was refreshing," Annabeth said as I walked back into my room to see her on my laptop. "I sincerely hope Sammy pulls through," she said with a sigh as she closed it and watched me toss my dirty clothes into a hamper. "What are you going to do if she doesn't?"

I looked at my mother as she sat above the entrance to the Labyrinth, "Do the same thing as I did when Ric died," I began as I got into the bed plugging my phone in. "Keep living because that's what she would want," I continued, "but she'll pull through, I know it," I finished with a smile worthy of Percy

Annabeth smirked as she stood up and walked to my bed, "At least you have that certainty," she said as she came up to my side. "Get some sleep, there's going to be a lot of reading to do," she added kissing my forehead before turning off the light by my bed

"Goodnight mom," I said as my eyelids started drooping, I turned over on my side to see her walking back to the bean bag before falling asleep.

Annabeth's P.O.V

I sighed in a small victory as I watched Zoë's breathing steady, "I wish this calm would stay," I muttered to myself as I took her laptop once more. "Where was I," I muttered as I opened it and put in her password.

Unlike most teenagers her age she kept her laptop secured and healthy as I looked over the files she had and looked at her past a little more. Even though I was in her conscious for a few months I didn't get to see a lot of her past. I saw pictures of her birth parents and her stepparents. I came across a picture of her with Bianca and Thalia grinning from ear to ear as they sat in a packed restaurant in Toledo on her birthday.

"I think that picture should be in her locket," a voice said over my shoulder making me jump. "Sorry Annabeth," Calypso's voice began as I looked at the ghostly form of her

"How are you," I began as my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach looking at my eldest daughter's sleeping form. ���Please don't say," I said as Calypso's lips formed into a line and she nodded, "oh no."

"I'm not going to wake her up with it because she needs the rest but be ready to comfort her when she does wake," she said as I fell into the bean bag

"I need to tell Renée," I said rushing to the door, "are you following me?"

Calypso nodded, "Nico let me come here before I entered Zoë's consciousness so everyone would know instead of just her."

I swallowed as I looked at the peaceful sleeping form of my daughter before I opened the door, "Thank you Calypso," I said with a smile as I hurried down the stairs to the two parents. "Renée, Alexis, I just found something out," I began as I entered the room with Calypso in toe

Renée's head snapped in my direction, her eyes widening as she noticed the ghost behind me. "It can't be," she said with a gasp as I nodded with Calypso, "let me get Lin, he was staying the night here to visit her once more."

I nodded with a sigh as I looked at the TV which just changed to a news report at the hospital. "Alex, could you turn up the volume a little," I asked as I saw smoke coming out of the building

His gaze snapped to the television before he jumped to the remote turning up the sound. "It seems that this blaze was started by someone inside the building in the ICU it carried from there into the Emergency room where there were patients from the school fire that happened not too long ago, ready to be moved into their rooms. It seems that the hero of that incident, Samantha Elizabeth Edwards, was one of the targets in this fire as she was found dead once the flames had died down in her room."

My eyes widened as the reporter finished talking about the fire, Alexis muted it as I caught myself on the table behind me. "She's gone," I breathed stunned as Zoë would be in the morning. "I don't know how to take care of her when she finds out," I said as my heart broke as I imagined my daughter's reaction once she found her girlfriend's mother in her head once more.

Correction, her former girlfriend

"We'll help you," Renée began snapping me out of my thoughts, "we all will, it will just be like a hero falling at camp."

My lips thinned into a line as I stood up from the table, "I'm sorry for the loss Lin now if you two will excuse me I need to IM Leo and inform him of this."

Renée nodded as I started walking away, "Please do remember that you are not alone in this," she said making me stop in my tracks

"I will," I said with a smile before climbing the stairs and going into the bathroom. "Are you coming with me or is Nico losing his power," I asked Calypso who shook her head

"Nico said that he can keep my form for as long as needed and to tell him when I'm ready to go," she said as I arched an eyebrow

"Is he here," I asked as she nodded, "where is he?"

"He's in the walk-in closet in Zoë's room," Calypso said as I sighed walking back into my daughter's room to see her still sleeping.

"Di Angelo get out of the closet," I whispered angrily at the son of Hades who looked exhausted

"Just don't tell Leo yet, please," he said as I arched an eyebrow, "he's been up nonstop worrying about Sammy and the other children. He found another tracker going to Raleigh that he didn't remember placing. He just got some sleep now so I'd rather him find out after he's well-rested."

I sighed as I turned to look at my daughter right before a light knock sounded at the door. "Oh, hey mom," Bianca's voice whispered, "is she still asleep," she asked and I nodded noticing she was trailed by her sister. "You'll have our help with taking care of her during this. Sammy helped her with Ric's death," she sighed as her eyes darted to the sleeping form of her older sister. "We want to help Zoë with hers," she finished as I sighed

"I don't think I'd be able to keep you two from her side in this case," I began, ��you can help, I thank you for the offer."

Bianca smiled as Thalia sniffed, "Excuse me," she said, "I have to comfort Thalia."

I chuckled, "Go and do that, be sure to let them know you're here so you have a place to sleep," I said referring to Renée who was probably worrying about Zoë going through this a second time in her life.

"We will," she said as I turned to Nico

"I won't tell Leo," I began, "sleep here before Will comes from the coma dimension to force you to sleep."

Nico chuckled as his eyes darted to where Zoë slept, "What brings you here?"

As he asked this he touched my arm as I saw Calypso turning around, I turned to see a ghost form of Sammy crying over Zoë. "Sammy," I whispered as Calypso drifted over to her dead daughter

Her head snapped up as she looked at Nico and me, "I'm sorry," she began, "I tried to fight whoever did this. I tried to keep living for her but something was holding me back like another power. I didn't want to leave but something was stronger than my need for staying."

"That's crazy," Nico muttered under his breath as I saw a ghost form of Will glaring at him. "Alright I'll get some rest, I'm not the daughter of Athena in here," he said with a huff before walking out of the room to tell the daughter of Aphrodite that he was here as well

I then turned to Sammy as Calypso started to speak, "Someone was keeping you?"

Sammy nodded as I spoke, "Is it a possibility that black mass that you two saw was it," I asked as Sammy shrugged

"No clue," she began, "I couldn't see what was holding me back as I struggled against it. It was stronger than anything I've ever felt and its grasp hurt me," she explained as I pondered

"If the enemy bent their rules to save Zoë why would they take her girlfriend," I asked myself as I watched the two Valdez's aim their gaze at me

"To make them too heartbroken to fight," Calypso offered as Sammy and I shook our heads

"Zoë would fight anyone who took my life or the life of anyone she cares about," she began. "That's why she was the next in line to threaten Nick when he said that he was my guide for the coma dimension. That would also be why she punched the man who tried to kill me in the face. There's no way the Chaos that bent his rules to bring Zoë back would turn around and kill me. Chaos would rather have all of the legacies to fight in the war. If the enemy knows who they're fighting against then why would they take the people closest to them if it creates a bloodlust?"

I nodded as I thought this over as the tears appeared in my eyes, "I hope you come back soon Sammy," I said with a smile. "I'll make sure that your funeral and shroud burning will be an honorable event."

Sammy smiled, "Thank you Annabeth," she said before looking down at Zoë, "I hope to see you again Smart Guppy," she said brushing a strand of hair out of the face of my daughter who was drooling a little before disappearing.

Calypso sighed, "Do you want to tell her in the morning, or shall I?"

I sighed as I looked at the time, "I'll tell her," I began as I looked at the former Titaness, "you get comfortable in her head, I have a feeling it's going to be a while before your body's recovered."

Calypso nodded, "Good luck Annabeth," she said before disappearing as I felt a wave of exhaustion come over me. I walked back to the bean bag grabbing my daughter's laptop one last time. I had left it open and unlocked at the photo of her and her sisters. I sighed going to Sammy's page then looking at the pictures of them together, "Why do you two have to go through so much," I whispered before I closed the laptop and put it on a dresser that was underneath the window. "I wish you had a peaceful life Zoë," I said before falling asleep

Zoë's P.O.V

My nightmare began as soon as I fell asleep

I was stuck in the school dressing room as I watched Sammy run through the door. The flames were licking at her in every direction as she ran through the wall of flame with her layers of clothing. I followed her coming out without a scratch but froze at what I saw. At my feet she layed burnt to a crisp as if she was left in an oven too long, the faint trail of blood coming from her back.

"Sammy," I screamed as I knelt by her body her eyes staring up into nothing

I looked around to see that we were in the remains of a hospital room that was similar to hers. "Zoë," her voice began softly as I looked at her corpse, "I'll be with you wherever you go," she said before her body disappeared like dust.

"You can't save anyone, can you Jackson," a voice asked as the hand that I was holding disappeared from my grasp

"If you did this," I began as the tears welled up in my eyes and I clenched my fists. "If I find her dead after I wake up I am coming for you," I growled, "and you will not like what happens."

"That's what you think," the voice chuckled, "enjoy your time being alone."

With a snap of fingers, my eyes snapped open to be welcomed with sunlight filtering into my room. I sat up and noticed Annabeth sleeping in the bean bag with my laptop sitting on the dresser next to it. "Mom," I began softly, "mom," I said a little louder making her jump

"Yes," she stuttered blinking her eyes

"After I get dressed and you get changed," I began, "can we go to the hospital to check on Sammy? I had a nightmare that she died in a fire there," I finished as I wiped the drool from my mouth and pushed my hair back stretching into a yawn.

I heard Annabeth sigh as I yawned, "About that," she said as my arms fell into my lap, "can I come over there?"

"Yeah," I began hoping this wasn't the discussion that I thought it was, "what's wrong?"

"There was a fire at the hospital," Annabeth began slowly as if she was thinking of ways to say this. "Reporters are saying that she was killed before the flames had started,�� she finished as I felt my heart drop into my stomach

"No," I began in a whisper, "not again," I began much louder, "you have to be kidding me. This has to be a joke she isn't dead, Calypso isn't in my head," I said quickly as I felt the tears well up in my eyes

'I'm afraid it is Zoë,' the voice of my girlfriend's mother said in my head as the tears in my eyes overfilled to make waterfalls down my face

"Why do the Fates hate me so much," I asked myself as I curled up into a ball and started crying. "I'm going to kill whoever did this," I shouted before burying my face into my eyes to cry some more. "Why don't I see her now," I began, "why isn't she right here in front of me?"

"She came here last night," I heard Annabeth begin softly as I felt circles being rubbed on my back. "She was saying that she didn't want to leave you and that something was holding you back. She concluded that the Chaos who brought you back isn't the enemy since he knows how you work. She couldn't give us much as to what happened during the fire but she came to see you one last time before disappearing at the request of the Fates for judgment."

"But I'd still see her when she visits right," I asked her looking up from my ball. "Hades blessed me so I'd be able to see spirits and touch them just as his children could."

I nodded, "Yes you would but it won't be often because spirits can't travel from the Underworld that much. If you want I'm pretty sure Nico wouldn't mind taking you to visit her."

I smiled softly as she brushed a tear from my cheek, I could feel the emptiness in my heart return from when I lost Ric. "Does Leo know," I asked her and she shook her head, "why not?"

"You weren't the only one who needed their rest last night," Annabeth said softly as Calypso showed me what happened

"Hang on," I said as I watched someone walk into Sammy's room, they were dressed in all black. They said something before the pain flared in Sammy's back, fighting through the pain she got up and ran into a door which caused her to fall onto her back. Dark spots littered her vision as she watched smoke enter the room she whispered something before her vision turned black. Then I was outside of her body seeing the flames consume her as if she was kindling to a bonfire. Before the vision ended I saw a ghostly version of her crying over my body while talking to Annabeth and Calypso who was also in a ghost form.

"I hope to see you again Smart Guppy," she said, her face full of tears before she disappeared

As I returned to reality I attacked Annabeth with a hug as I started to sob, every negative feeling that was imaginable coming out in tears. "Why does this have to happen," I cried into my mother's shoulder just as I heard the door open. "What did she do to deserve being killed by a gang member?"

I felt Annabeth's shoulders rise and fall as a sigh escaped her lips, "I wish I knew dear."

I then felt arms wrap around me and pull me into a hug of their own, "We'll help you kill whoever did this," Bianca's voice said as I let out all of my tears into the shoulder of my best friend. "I swear on the River Styx that we'll do whatever it takes to end the lives of the one who did this."

Thunder rumbled in the distance before I looked at my two best friends, "Grandfather let you come up here?"

Thalia nodded as I saw tears well up in her eyes, "Yes," she began, "he let us come after he heard the news but I didn't believe it at first until I saw Cal."

"Come on," Annabeth said, "we have to get you cleaned up so we can go to camp for the funeral," she paused. "I'm guessing you're one of the people who'd want to light her shroud?"

I nodded as I rubbed the tears from my eyes, "Yeah," I said with a sigh looking at her

"You don't have to put on a strong façade with me," Annabeth began, "everyone at camp has cried whenever they lost someone. Many people have cried even when Leo faked his death," she finished as she pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "Get into the shower," she began, "I'm pretty sure these two would like to pick out your clothes for today."

"I'll take care of that and clean up," a voice said solemnly behind us making us snap our heads to see Renée's mother standing by the bean bag. "You deserve the help considering the heartbreak that you've been through in this year."

I smiled as I stood up from the bed, "Thank you, Aphrodite," I said with a nod of my head as she waved her hand and a pink cloud came over me

"It is my pleasure," the goddess began, "now if you will excuse me I have to talk to Renée about something," she finished before walking out of the room as the cloud disappeared. "By the way, you're not the only one who got cleaned up and changed," he voice said before I heard the gasp from downstairs

"I hate it when she includes me in this," Annabeth muttered as I noticed myself in a black with a light orange flower. I turned to look at my mother as I realized that my hair was gently curled to resemble the princess curls that she had. Annabeth wore an all-black dress as her hair was half up and half down. Compared to me wearing my character shoes she had black flats on with her weapon and hat belted at each hip, the only sign of color aside from her hair and eyes. Bianca and Thalia were also clothed in black their bracelets, pens, and ring shining in the light just as mine did. Bianca was dressed in a black suit since she hated dresses and I was glad that was taken into account by the goddess of love and beauty. Thalia, who adored the most adorable dress she could find, was clothed in a similar dress to Annabeth's but without the belt holding her weapons. Her short dirty blonde hair was combed out while Bianca's black hair was put into a high ponytail

"I wish this didn't have to happen for the second time this year," I said as my heart broke once more. I was in a trance looking at my family dressed for the funeral but then I snapped out of it remembering it was the funeral for my girlfriend.

"Me too Zoë," Bianca said as she walked up to me and enveloped me in a hug as I cried into my hands. "But the only thing she'd want us to do now is to move on and find the missing demigods."

My hands fell to my side as I nodded in her hug, "You're right," I began with my head on her shoulder. I was a little shorter than her but it was nice to hug someone that I've known for so long. "Let's get going," I said with a sniff before walking to the door

Suddenly, I felt hands wrap around my waist and bury into my back right in between my shoulder blades. "I don't want anything else to happen to you," Thalia said as I smiled while turning around

"I'll try to make it so nothing happens to me," I said, patting her head as she looked up at me. She reminded me of how Sammy would attack me with a hug but she was a little taller than Sammy as her face ended up in my stomach rather than my breasts. "You know that in this life it'll be a little harder right," I asked as I returned the hug to someone who was probably the second closest person to Sammy

Thalia nodded, "Yes but you'd better not do anything stupid."

I smiled once more, "I swear on the River Styx that I won't do anything too stupid."

Thunder rumbled as she looked at me with her eyes speckled with tears, "Let's get going before we're late."

I nodded as she let go of me so I could walk down the stairs to get breakfast, breakfast was silent but quick as we sat in the kitchen eating cereal. Renée had lent one of her cars to Annabeth so we could pile into the car with Nico since a ghost form of Will was still chastising the son of Hades for his shadow-traveling. Soon we made it to camp with me hoping that it was all a dream but once I made it into the camp to see a burial shroud standing by the bonfire. The shroud was covered in light orange and white cloth surrounded by links of silver chains that made up the base. The tears came on more as I noticed the beauty of it, I looked over to see Leo climbing off of Festus with a girl that looked more like Calypso but with some hints of Sammy in her.

"I'm surprised you're not at my daughter's bedside," he said with a smirk as I attack him with a hug the tears streaming down my face

"That's because she won't be waking up," I began with a sob ruining the light makeup Aphrodite had put on me. "I'm sorry Leo but she isn't waking up anytime soon," I finished, my knees crumbling underneath me as I crumbled to my feet

"Zoë," I heard Annabeth call after for me as I heard her footsteps come up behind me and arms grabbing my waist to pull me up to my feet. "I'm sorry Leo but Sammy isn't going to survive," she said as I looked at the girl with him

"Thanks, Annabeth," Leo said with sadness in his voice, "you two get some rest, I'll fill this one in with everything as well as introduce her to Stephan."

'Who's that girl,' I thought as Annabeth led me to Percy's cabin, Percy jumping up at seeing me in tears and us in the black dresses

"What happened," he asked as Calypso answered me

'I believe that is my second daughter, I think Leo was drunk when he tried to put a tracker on her or something.'

"Sammy's dead," Annabeth said gently as she sat me in the bunk that I usually slept in. "There was an intruder in the hospital who killed Sammy before lighting the building on fire starting with her room."

"That's who the shrouds for," Percy asked in more of a mumble as I covered my face with my hands. "Everything's going to be fine," Percy began as I felt his hands on my arms, they were strong but they were full of care. "We'll be here for you," he said in more of a whisper than anything

But the one care that I was missing from my life was in that burial shroud waiting to be burned, "But I want her," I said before running out of the cabin, wanting to be alone and to run away from the world. I soon found myself at the beach where I had learned how to heal myself and others. I fell into the sand just as the tide came up wetting my shoes since I willed the water to come

"It is hard to lose the one you love," a voice said next to me as I sat in a ball on the sand in the tide of the water letting each wave wet me more and more. "You think there's nothing left do you," the voice asked as I felt cold air next to me

I looked up to see my namesake look at me with a sad smile, "Yes," I began, "I've lost two loved ones in one year and this one hurts me more than the last."

The ghost of Zoë Nightshade smiled softly as she took my hand, "The loss is heavier with her because you and she were one," she began not in her traditional speech. "Before you ask I learned how this world speaks by watching from the stars," she said as if she was reading from my mind. "The loss of Sammy was so hard on the both of you because you two led completely different lives but you were so similar."

"I just wish it didn't happen," I began as I looked at the sun which was high in the sky. "I wish there was nothing of this gang so we didn't have to worry about this on top of an upcoming war."

Zoë nodded, "I can understand that," she began then looked behind us, "you will push on. If you want you can join the Hunters of Artemis," she offered as I shook my head

"Thanks for the offer Zoë," I began, "but something tells me that she'll be back at one point or another so I'm going to wait."

The former huntress smiled and nodded, "That is understandable," she began, "it does not feel like the story of Samantha Valdez is finished just yet," she paused before looking out towards the sun. "Sometimes I do miss life," she muttered loud enough for me to hear, "I wish you luck on your adventures and I hope that Sammy returns to you soon."

I smiled softly as I wiped the tears from my eyes, "Thank you Zoë," I began as I stood up and willed myself dry as I watched the sun land on the horizon. "I've been here for a while haven't I," I asked her making her chuckle

"Yes, you have," she said as the water still kissed my feet, "I suggest you go for the shroud burning," she paused as she stood up. "If you need anything from me you can always call, now go and be the hero you were meant to be."

I smiled as I nodded, "Thanks again and I'll keep that in mind," I said as she smiled before disappearing into the sky. I watched her go up into the sky above me, her constellation shining bright in the almost night sky. "Time to burn my girlfriend's shroud," I muttered with a sniff as I rubbed at one of my eyes. Once I got there I saw the bonfire glowing a soft blue to match my feelings as people ran around the camp. I sat by the bonfire and noticed someone inside it, "Good evening Lady Hestia," I said softly startling her a little bit

"There you are Zoë," she said with a smile, "did you have a nice talk with your namesake?"

I nodded, "She helped a lot," I said as I looked to my left which sat Sammy's shroud. "I'm still not looking forward to this but she and I both have the feeling Sammy will be back at one point or another."

The goddess smiled, "It is true," she began, "it feels like her story will keep going for a long time. What Miss Nightshade was correct even though her offer is the same whenever she comes across any living maiden. You will feel empty but the best thing for you to do is move in, it is what Miss Valdez would want."

I smiled as I straightened out once I heard hooves coming up behind me, "Thank you, Lady Hestia," I began with a small bow. "I must go, I believe the service is about to begin."

"Good luck young hero," she said with a smile before disappearing into the flames as I turned to meet Chiron

"There you are," he said as he cantered over to me, "I see that you've had a conversation with Lady Hestia."

I looked back at the flames as I remembered the comfort coming from her, "Yes," I began before looking the centaur in the face. "As well as a former huntress, I'm sorry that I disappeared for that long. Where are Mom and Dad," I asked as a sad smile appeared on his face

"They went out looking for you," he began, "the whole camp is, it's a wonder how they do not see me talking to you right now."

I felt around my head to grab a cloth, I knit my eyebrows in confusion as I grabbed it and took it off my head. In my hands sat a baseball cap, it was a vintage Toledo Mud Hens baseball cap that held a note on it. "Apparently, grandmother wanted me to have my alone time," I chuckled as I showed him the hat. "And she has a thing for invisibility baseball caps," I added with yet another chuckled

"What does the note say," Chiron asked as he came closer to me to look at it

"It says," I began as I read it, "'Use this wisely, I put it on you to give you your space. I am sorry for the loss of Samantha; I hope you give whoever did this a slow but merciful death.' It seems that Athena holds the same anger that I do towards the gang."

Chiron shrugged, "Gangs aren't a favorite of your grandmother both on Annabeth's side and Percy's."

My eyes widened once he mentioned Percy's mortal family, "Did Sally make it here safely?"

"Yes, I did Zoë," the soothing voice of Sally Blofis said behind me, "thank you for getting that idea of moving us here for our safety."

I smile as I turned to be welcomed with one of her hugs, "Thank you, Sally," I said with a smile as I looked around the camp. "Are they still looking for me," I asked making her laugh, "could the fire burn a little brighter to say that I've been found or something?"

As if Hestia was listening to me, the flames changed to a bright orange that reminded me of the girlfriend that I lost. "It seems that Lady Hestia has heard you," Chiron said as Sally and I laughed as I looked at my grandmother once more

"Just to let you know," Sally began as campers came running, "I have a spare room open if Percy and Annabeth get to be too much," she got closer to me. "I may make a fresh batch of blue cookies if you ever need some comfort from your grandmother," she whispered making me chuckle

"I will keep your offer in mind Sally," I began as Percy and Annabeth ran up dressed up for the funeral

"Hey mom," Percy began as he caught his breath before looking at me, "where have you been we thought you disappeared from camp."

I smiled, "I went to the beach where I had healed Sammy and me after our first PTSD attacks. I talked with my namesake before I went here and talked with Hestia," I began, "grandma helped with the disappearing part," I said lifting the hat. "I didn't realize it was on my head until Chiron told me that he was surprised no one saw me walking to the bonfire."

Annabeth took the note from my hand and smiled, "My mother and her tricks," she muttered with a chuckle as she then looked at the hat. "What team is that," she asked as I looked at it once more

"Toledo Mud Hens," I said with a smile remembering all the baseball games that I went to with my birth parents. "Their games are fun to go to," I said with a smile as I put my hand through the loop of the hat. "Let's get this funeral done," I said after clearing my throat noticing all the campers who had either sat near the shroud or watched us

Chiron nodded, "Leo insists that you burn her shroud since you were the one closest to her," he began. "I believe he has some things to give you as well," he finished as we made the short walk to her shroud. "They will be given to you after her shroud is finished burning

I nodded as he went and stepped in front of the shroud, "Campers," he said and the talking silenced. "Thank you all for coming to the funeral of Samantha Elizabeth Valdez, even if you may have not known her for long it means a lot for her loved ones. Before her shroud is lit by her girlfriend Zoë would like to say a few things," he said stepping aside for me as I took in a deep breath and walked up to it

'It doesn't hold her body because she's going to have a public burial a week from now,' Annabeth said as I felt the emptiness in it when I touched it

"Samantha Valdez," I said, her full name tasting foreign on my lips, "I never really used your full name. I either called you Sammy or something that you made exclusive for me, Sams. I remember the first day that we met as clear as the ocean," I sighed as I looked out toward the waters. "You had told me how beautiful my voice was after I sang one of the hardest songs in Hamilton. After that, I didn't think I'd see you again but I was glad that I had another person to talk to in New York. If you had told me then or when Ric died that I would've been your girlfriend I probably would've thought you were joking," I paused as a tear rolled down my cheek. "Many people here may not know about you but I will bring up some key memories that give me a reason to give you this nickname. My first PTSD attack," I smiled softly, "you had gotten Annabeth's attention to give you time to heal the dagger wound in your hand before you stepped within reach of me asking her to return control. You looked at my face as I thought you were a danger to me and tried to fight you off as if you were a monster and you hugged me without a care in the world for the pain that you felt."

Sammy's P.O.V

"After that, you showed bravery by running to the hospital in the middle of the night without caring that the E-Team was looking for you," Zoë said as I stood at the edge of the woods, the tears streaming down my face matching her. "And then there's the most recent," she continued with a smile. "You ran through a literal wall of fire with little to no immunity to get out and help other people before helping yourself. You tried to stand up to your attacker before your death but they had closed the door before you had got out of your bed. All of these instances are what makes me glad to call you mine," she sighed as I saw the colorful flame appear in her hand. "This is why I will call you Brave Embers as you call me Smart Guppy," she continued as she stared at my shroud. "I hope to see you again Samantha Elizabeth Valdez," she finished as the Greek Fire lit my shroud on fire

"Do you want her to come over," Nico's voice asked next to me making me jump

I turned to him and nodded as Chiron concluded the funeral and the campers dispersed either to offer their condolences to Zoë or Leo after he gave my weapons to her. My legs crumbled as I watched the empty shroud burn into nothing, "Sammy," Zoë's voice whispered as footsteps came up

"I'm sorry I left Zoë," I began, "I tried to stay as much as possible but someone was holding onto me with an iron-like grip."

"I know," she said as she sat across from me, I was asked to swear on the River Styx to tell her how long I was going to be gone for. "Calypso told me," she said as she grabbed my hand, "you did what you could and I am not mad at you for that. You will be back at some point and I know it," she continued as I cried some more. "I'm not going to tell you to stop crying because then I'll be a hypocrite since I'm here crying after talking to both my namesake and a goddess telling me that you will return at one point. But you better bust your ass to get back as soon as possible," she finished making me smile as I ran my thumb over the warmth of her hand

"Thank you Zoë," I said as I looked up at her tearstained eyes, "promise me that you'll kill them all for me?"

"I swear on the River Styx that I will make sure the E-Team is no more by the time I die," she said with a grin as thunder rumbled off in the distance. "I love you Brave Embers," she added as I felt the Fates pulling me back to my destination

"I love you too, Smart Guppy," I said before leaning over kissing her one last time before I disappeared into the night.