Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or Heroes of Olympus, these wonderful books belong to Rick Riordan.

Hope you enjoy this re-edited version, this story has been discontinued for a while but now it's back!

The pounding of his own feet and heart were all that Percy Jackson could hear over the storming wildfire behind him.

He was running as fast as he could, desperately trying to outrun the raging inferno that seemed to be following him, but to no avail.
He felt the heat begin to lick at his heels, sending shivers up his spine and he let out a sigh of exasperation as he suddenly came to a halt.
Facing the onslaught of flames that was fast approaching, Percy felt a near-manic grin stretching over his lips.

The fire consumed Percy as the rest of the wildfires around the main flame died down as they captured their target.
Percy could feel the heat of the fire try to eat away at his flesh but failed as the demigod casually stood in the middle of the blaze, the fire having no effect.
The furnace slowly died down before becoming just a small spluttering flame that was crushed under Percy's foot.
For moment, there was just silence as the forest around him let out a sigh of relief as its torture stopped, while Percy looked around suspiciously, as if waiting for something to happen.

Then, to Percy's left, a bright light flashed, while a person materialized, glaring at the demi-god before him.

"Hello Apollo," Percy said nonchalantly, picking at his nails with a dagger that appeared in his hand.

"How aren't you dead?" Apollo growled, stalking towards the Hero of Olympus.

"Just a little trick I learned while on the run," Percy replied, putting the dagger away and looking up at the enraged God.

"You know that I need to take you to Olympus now, don't you?" Apollo reached for Percy, who took a nimble step back, wagging his finger in Apollo's general direction.

"Ah ah ah, like you would be the one to hand me over to your traitor king." The young demigod chuckled at the affronted Apollo.

"You are the traitor!" Apollo raged, lashing out at Percy while still trying to get a hold of him, so that he could flash them away to Olympus.

"If this is all your father has then no wonder he hasn't caught me for 3 years!" Percy leapt out of the way of Apollo's searching blade and into a tree above, warily watching the Sun God.

With a scream of rage the God lashed out at Percy, slicing across the demigods chest as Percy leaned backwards to avoid him.
However where the blade did appear to cut into Percy's torso, as Apollo reared back to take another slash at Percy, no wound was found.
Percy grinned at Apollo before drawing a golden sword from its sheath by his side.
It was like no gold Apollo had ever seen before; not celestial bronze or imperial gold.
With a swoop to Apollo's unprotected right side, Percy slashed, lunged, swiping and jabbing at any vulnerable points that Apollo left undefended.

The two men fought, neither being able to make a clean hit until a splash of golden ichor hit Percy's left forearm.
Both of them stopped and Apollo looked at Percy with a glint of fear in his eyes as the wound to his side leaked more ichor before vanishing in a bright flash.

Percy slumped down; his energy drained before he stood up and started walking back to his camp, eagerly thinking about the warm meal waiting for him when he got there.
As he carried on through the now burnt forest he thought about how three years ago his life was so different…

*Flashback*

Camp Half-blood

Percy stepped onto the sandy beach, the water droplets shaking from his dripping hair and a smile shining bright in his eyes as he took in the sight of Camp, pristine and almost recovered from the War 2 years previously.
He was looking forward to seeing his girlfriend of 4 years, Annabeth Chase, Daughter of Athena.
They had gone through so much together in the last 4 years that he couldn't imagine his life without her.

He nervously fingered at the small black box in his pocket, his heart racing as he thought about the question he was preparing to ask her.
He had already asked Athena's permission and Annabeth's father and had finally got the 'OK' from Athena.
The anticipation in Percy's heart was overflowing and his stomach was twisting into knots that he didn't think possible.

Percy started to walk towards the Big House to inform Chiron that he had returned, passing some of the new cabins on his way there.
Once he reached the door he knocked politely and waited as he thought about the summer he had spent beneath the sea.

His father, Poseidon, had suggested that Percy spend a summer down in Atlantis to complete his training, focusing on his abilities he had inherited from his father.
Percy also got to see a lot more of Tyson, his Cyclops half-brother and get to know his other half-brother Triton.
They had realised that they actually had quite a lot in common with each other and would often spend afternoons in the arena, together.
Amphitrite on the other hand, did not warm up to the hero quite as well.
She refused to eat in the same room as him during dinner and would glare at him every time he walked into the same room as her.

He could understand that though, to have the proof of your husband unfaithfulness living in her home and intruding on her family couldn't have been easy for her.

He knocked again on the door in front of him and it finally opened.
Percy grinned, expecting to come face-to-face with his mentor Chiron's smile; however when the centaur opened the door a grim expression faced him.
Chiron's old eyes hardened when they saw Percy, and his lips pursed in distaste, not offering the demigod a hug as he usually would.
Percy's grin faltered slightly at the sour look on Chiron's face however he still continued on with what is was going to say, taking a deep breath and looked Chiron in the eye.

"Chiron, I know that since Annabeth came to Camp, she has been like a daughter to you and it would feel wrong if I did not ask your permission first," Percy paused before taking out the ring box in his pocket.

"I was wondering if I could have your permission to marry Annabeth." Percy opened the box to show Chiron the ring, the silver band glinting in the faint sunlight and the sea green gem in the middle sparkling like a little beacon.

However, before Percy even got to show Chiron the ring, the centaur placed his hand on the lid of the box and closed it once more.

"I don't think that is such a good idea Percy-" he started before he was cut off by the laughter of two girls from behind Percy.

Percy looked up at the sound of Annabeth's voice, his face stretching into a huge smile.
Chiron just shook his head as the boy approached his love.

"Annabeth!" Percy exclaimed as he pulled the girl into a hug.

Annabeth stood there in shock as he squeezed her, relishing in her scent and the feeling of her in his arms.

"P-p-Percy?" Annabeth stuttered out once he had let go of her, glancing at the other girl beside her.

Percy saw the look and also turned to face the girl, who he had never seen before.

Her blonde hair shined in the sun, princess curls falling down her shoulders and reaching the small of her back.
Crystal clear grey eyes seemed to penetrate his soul; the ice in her gaze was enough to make an involuntary shiver run down his back.
She had petite featured and her skin was very pale, no blemish in sight.
They made a striking pair, both with blonde hair though one with platinum and the other with buttercup yellow.
They both wore short shorts and tight tank-tops which left nothing to the imagination.
Percy couldn't remember the last time Annabeth had worn something so…so revealing, except for the time that they went swimming.
They also both had startling eyes that made you feel uncomfortable if they stared at you long enough.

"Hello," He stated, holding out his hand, "my name is Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon and Annabeth's boyfriend, it's nice to meet you."

The girl looked down at his hand in disgust and turned her nose up at Percy.

"I know exactly who you are, you are the traitor who led many demigods to their deaths and caused two unnecessary wars which cost us much."

She stormed off, Annabeth in tow, who didn't even look at Percy as she followed her friend.

Percy stood there in shock as what the girl had said sank in, his head swimming in confusion and heart breaking slightly as her words registered and Annabeth not defending him occurred to him.
He watched the girls leave and carry on their conversation as if nothing had happened, laughing at an inside joke.
He felt a small hand on his shoulder and he looked sideways at the person next to him.
Clarisse stared after the girls with him, sighing in a mixture of sadness and regret, confusing him more.

After the war him, Annabeth, Clarisse and Chris had become closer as although the second couple were not part of the Seven they had contributed much to the war effort back at Camp, keeping people's moral up and their belief in the Seven strong.
The four of them often sparred together and hung out afterward on the beach.

So as Percy looked down slightly at Clarisse, she saw the pain in his eyes at the unknown girl's hurtful remarks and Annabeth's brush off of his return.

"Her name is Vivien, she is a daughter of Zeus, Annabeth and her have been inseparable since she got here."

She continued to tell Percy the story of how she had come to camp after being chased by 10 hellhounds, and how Annabeth had gone out with some of their other friends to help her.
Clarisse described how Annabeth had put her life in danger just to save this girl, very nearly dying in the process.
The girls had been together ever since, following each other round Camp, dressing the same, wearing their hair the same and always whispering behind their hands about something, stopping whenever anyone got closer enough to hear what it was.

"The most disturbing thing," Clarisse paused slightly as she looked at him hesitantly, "Jackson, you might want to be sitting down for this."

They walked over to the beach in silence, Chris joining them and taking Clarisse's hand.
They sat down in the soft sand, the sound of the sea washing up on the shore soothing Percy's swirling thoughts.
Clarisse turned once more to face him, taking a big gulp of air,

"Vivien has been spreading lies about you around Camp, saying that these two wars have been your fault; if you hadn't of been born then the first one wouldn't have started which wouldn't have triggered the second one.
Me, Chris and some other campers have tried to stop people believing it but it's like she has brainwashed them all into believing her. No one would listen to us, and they started to call us traitors too and you weren't here and we didn't know what to do.
Everyday more people began to fall for her lies, turning on you and us. Now only us, the Stolls and Rachel still trust in you, we don't know about the Roman demigods but everyone else here has turned their back on you."

All of this together made Percy's head hurt and the betrayal cut him deep.
One name that hadn't been mentioned in any of this suddenly occurred to him and Percy looked at Clarisse sharply, His head snapping up to look her in the eye.

"Where is Annabeth in all of this?" He questioned, desperately for his inner thoughts to be wrong. Clarisse looked at him with a hidden sadness and opened her mouth to answer him.

"No. No, no, no, no. She can't…but…how? Why? When?" If the camp's betrayal hadn't already hurt him enough, this was just…unfathomable.

The girl that he had given his heart to, jumped into Tartarus for, his Wise Girl, the girl that he loved more than anything in this world.
How could she do this to him, surely she knew more than anyone that he didn't want any of what had happened in the past, that he had lost friends, lost his mother, step-father and little sister to Gaea.

This was more than Percy could cope with, his heart shattering into tiny pieces as the girl that he had given it to threw it back in his face, tattered and broken.
Percy stood up suddenly, needing to hear this from Annabeth herself.
Clarisse tried to grab at his arm, Chris standing up to stop him but Percy shoved him to the side before running towards Zeus's cabin, something in his head telling him that they were in there.

Percy slammed his fist into the hard wooden door, his knuckles screaming in pain.
He pounded on the door with all that he had,

"Annabeth!" Percy yelled, voice cracking slightly, "I know that you are in there! Come out and talk to me!"

He continued to hit the door until suddenly it opened, Annabeth's glare fixing him there, hate deep in her eyes.

"What do you want Jackson?" She sneered at Percy who stared at her in disbelief.

"Wha-What happened to you?" Percy questioned, trying to get his head around the cold and unloving Annabeth before him. It was like taking the girl that he loved and replacing her soul with that of a hateful demon.

"I just realised that everything was your fault. Everything that I lost and any kind of future I had with the man that I really loved was taken from me by you, you worthless piece of scum!"

She slapped him hard around the face as her words churned around his head until he realised who she meant.

"Luke?" Percy exclaimed incredulously, "That's who you love, what happened to all that we had? Annabeth I love you, I thought you loved me, was everything that we have been through together mean nothing to you, years of friendship leading to years love, meaningless because of one girl."

"It was all a lie!" Annabeth screamed in his face, "I loved Luke before I had even met you, and I never stopped loving him, I've realised this now, and it is your fault that he died!
Your prophesy, you were the one who started it all by coming to Camp, if you had never existed, I could have been happy!
I never loved you, how could I when you cost me Luke, my one true love. Our 'relationship' was founded on lies and betrayal, so how could it end with anything less.
You are a traitor to Olympus, you are the one who helped Kronos and you cost so many people their lives, it is your fault, all of it!"

She finished, breathing heavily, chest heaving, tears streaming down her face and her whole body trembling.
During the screaming match Vivien had come outside to watch, as had a crowd of campers, fascinated by the almighty split of the golden couple.
Vivien took Annabeth's hand, facing Percy and pointed at him, and screamed,

"Traitor!"

The rest of the campers took up the chant except for the few friends that Percy still had left who just watched him sadly as he began to back away from the incoming mob who slowly gained in confidence, marching towards the retreating demigod.
Percy turned and sprinted towards the camp exit only to come face to face with Rachel, her long red hair curling down her back and her green eyes flashing in anger as she gazed at the crowd behind Percy.

She silently handed Percy a bag which he slung over his back quickly, nodding at her in thanks, before turning back to get one last look at the place that had been his home for the last 4 years.

He locked eyes with Vivien for a moment and saw the pleasure his sudden exile from Camp had given her, the smug look taking over her angelic face for a moment before she turned to 'comfort' Annabeth, the girl crying into her embrace.
Percy glanced at his friends in the mob and smiled slightly before racing towards the Camp's entrance to escape the screaming throng of people behind him.

*End of Flashback*

Percy reminisced about the months after his exile spent in the wild trying to escape the Camp scouts sent after him.
The bag that Rachel had given him was filled with supplies to help him survive; food, water bottles, ambrosia, nectar, a sleeping bag, some clothes, weapons and finally, a locket.

He looked down at the locket around his neck and opened it again.
There was a group picture of him, Rachel, Grover, Juniper, Clarisse, Chris and the Stolls standing on the beach smiling at the camera.
He remembered that day.
It was a couple of weeks after the war and Chiron was taking a picture of the demigods as a memento.

Percy remembered Annabeth being in the picture too but as he looked at one side of the picture he saw that it had been cut, like Rachel had cut Annabeth out.
He smiled slightly at his crazy artistic friend who knew him so well.

On the other side of the locket was a picture of his mom, Paul, his baby sister Lucy and him, his mother holding her newborn child and her arm around her eldest son, proudly smiling at the camera.
That photo had been taken just days before they had been murdered by an ally of Gaea's, Hecate.
He had come home after a day of clear-up at camp, expecting to see his mother and his little sister, who already had him wrapped around her little finger, however as he opened the door he found blood smeared all over the walls, and three dead bodies left to rot.

His step-father Paul was in the kitchen, fear still in his glass like eyes.
Percy had found his mom in the nursery that he had helped paint the summer before, spread-eagle like she had been protecting something before she had been struck down.
The scene that really broke Percy's heart and caused his head to spin in grief even now, was the tiny infant lying in the crib, curled in an eternal sleep, her mother's blood splattering her crib.

Percy remembered that day all too well as he closed the locket, placing it back around his neck while resting his fingers on the spot where his camp bead necklace had been before he had ripped it off in a fit of anger on the day of his exile along with the ring that had still been in his pocket.
He had buried them somewhere in the middle of nowhere, symbolising the death of his previous life.

Percy shook his head to rid himself of the memories and carried on towards his camp which was only a few minutes away.
That was, until another flash signalled behind him, whereas this time, he only smiled and turned to face his mentor with a grin and opened his arms to embrace her.

Thanks for reading!

- Bx