R&R

~GoGreen52

Chapter 23- Home

Percy POV-

It's been three days since the day Bella died.

Her funeral was going to be today. Everyone decided I would give a speech, having the most memories with my twin. My mother didn't take her death well, let me tell you that. She wasn't going to be at the funeral, and it killed her.

This was the second time she was told her child was dead. But… in the end of the last one I decided to come back, and let's just say Bella gave me a good beating.

It hurts me to remember every memory that I held near and dear to my heart… Bella will keep the memories too, and I just hope that whatever is going on down there (with the three fates and all) that she wouldn't forget all of her family and friends up here. Her home.

It's a constant reminder of her death every time I look at the empty bunk below mine. It seems just like yesterday we were picking our bunks.

Flashback-

We just found out that we were the children of Poseidon. Grover was just about ready to rip our throats out from how we were bickering at the moment.

"I get top bunk!" I yelled, and Bella looked murderous.

"No, I do! I'm the oldest!" Bella yelled right back, pushing me back. I pushed her, and we got in a all out push war before Grover came over and broke us apart.

"STOP IT! You two are giving me a migraine, and satyrs don't even get migraines!" Grover yelled, shocking us both into silence.

"Geese, you don't need to get so moody on us Grover," Bella said, crossing her arms across her chest. Grover mumbled something and walked out of the cabin.

We ended up flipping a coin to see who gets what bunk. I got top, Bella got bottom.

End Flashback-

I walked out of my cabin, wearing my camp shirt and some board shorts. I put my camp necklace on, and sighed, looking at the beads. Bella and I have had so many memories here, it would be impossible to only pick a few.

When I scanned over the whole camp, or at least the camp I can see, I saw Annabeth talking with the Cullens, and I saw she was dressed in her camp shirt, along with some short shorts… she looked like the usual California girl, and to make it even more believable, she was wearing her hair down. I could tell she cared enough to run a brush through it and make it not so tangled how she usually wears it down… but to be honest, I don't really care.

I walked over, seeing that in fact the whole Cullen clan was there, so I decided to go see what they were talking about. I guess Annabeth is close with them now, having Jasper be her brother- and I could see that she was happy to have an older sibling… she was usually the oldest.

I can say that my relationship with the Cullens isn't bad, yet we're not BFF's. Bella put a permanent shield on her friends so that Edward couldn't read our minds… and for that, I am grateful for. I guess now I can think stupid thoughts without him commenting on them…

"Hey Annabeth," I said, walking up to them and gave Annabeth a kiss on the cheek, "and hello the Cullen Clan." I said, sounding more like an announcer when I spoke to them. I pulled Annabeth in an embrace from behind, using her as a shield from Alice.

You see, Bella and Annabeth loved Alice… I guess I do too, but I just do not want her to get too close to me. I can practically see the look in her eyes when she wants me to go shopping with her and my friends. I hate shopping, as you can obviously see.

"Hey Percy," Annabeth said, smiling at the embrace. "Well, anyways, Percy here will be giving a speech about the memories they had… I know that you guys had some too, so after we burn the body, I guess you can go up and share some of your memories."

"You're going to burn her?" Edward asked, his face full of despair.

"Yeah… it's a ritual here for the dead at camp," Annabeth explained. Rosalie patted Edward on the back, and they seemed to have a silent conversation. I suddenly felt self conscious.

"I can go up there… maybe if Edward wants to come too he can," Alice said, and gave me a small smile. All of the sudden, I saw her face light up in a bright smile, but she looked like she was hiding it still… from that look I could tell she was hiding her thoughts… but what was so important were she would hide her thoughts?

"Alright. We'll all be excited to hear what you have to say about the Bella you guys knew." Annabeth smiled at them, then turned to me. "I have to go help the rest of my cabin set it up… don't worry about it though."

I smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "How do you know I'll go and help?"

"I know you Seaweed Brain," Annabeth told me, punching my shoulder. I shook my head at her, and laughed when she ran to the arena.

"That was really sweet, Percy," Alice told me, walking up to me. My eyes widened.

"You better not try to dress me up," I warned her.

She just scoffed. "Why would I? Clearly, you have the surfer look down." My eyes widened at that.

"Surfer look?"

"You are a son of Poseidon, are you not? You go with the surfer look. Unruly hair, leather necklace, tight form fitting shirt, and board shorts. Plus, you are wearing leather sandals. It works."

I shrugged, happy that I wouldn't have to go through the whole dress-up stage with Alice. "Well, the Aphrodite Cabin did try to dress me up before… they succeeded, and this is what they came up with."

Rosalie smiled, proud of her cabin mates, "That is the power of Aphrodite."

I nodded at her. "Well, I guess I'll see you guys at the funeral later… well, apparently it's during the campfire tonight… plus, since it's the middle of the year, it'll be a nice little ceremony… but now I have to go, and help Annabeth."

They all laughed, even Edward let out a little chuckle, and I waved at them before I ran to the arena, hoping Annabeth wouldn't kill me for deciding to help out after all. I hope she knows me well enough were I would help her, disobeying her orders not to… oh well.

It was time for the funeral. The funeral of my older sister… great.

I walked through a crowd of campers; each camper stopped and told me how sorry they were or gave me a pat on the back. I gave sad smiles and acknowledged every one of them. It felt like Bella was right next to me, doing the same thing. I guess it hasn't really came to me that she's actually dead yet.

I was directed to the stage, Annabeth followed close behind me. Thalia, Nico, and Grover were also on the stage. We were her best friends , well, from camp, and we were written on the list she had all planned out. She wanted the Cullens to go up after she was burned… weird, right?

I would be giving memories, while the others would be standing up there, probably because everyone knew who really made the impacts on her life.

But first, Chiron was going to give a little story that he remembered of Bella and I… I'm guessing it's the one that no other person could have seen… well, besides Grover.

Once everyone took their seats on benches , that were made by the tree nymphs, (not them, some trees that weren't anyone's home!)Chiron started to talk.

"We are gathered here tonight to enjoy memories of the life of Isabella Jackson. She was a beloved Sister, Friend, and Girlfriend. I have a memory here, too… but not only of Bella, but of her younger brother, Percy.

"They're eighteen now… I suppose that it was six years ago I met them. I posed as their ancient history teacher. Isabella was quite the student in my class. Along with her brother and Grover, they were bullied by students, but truth to be told, they would not let it get to them, and powered through it.

"She was a great camper and student. In school, I have to admit she wasn't the best student of them all with ADHD and Dyslexia, but she still powered through that.

"The twins were and are both extremely perceptive. And It showed when a monster attacked them, I through them their swords, and they, together, sent all the kindly ones back to the Underworld. But even after disguising the attack with the mist, she decided to play 'Bella Bond', as I recall it to be, to find out what really went down.

"She did, and I can tell you know that she was one of the greatest campers that Camp Half Blood has ever seen."

Everyone clapped in applause, some even used their voices and whooped. It was real cool, and I think if Bella saw this… she'd be blushing up a storm.

Chiron handed me the attention, and I walked into the middle of the stage. Everyone went silent, seeing me, Percy Jackson, standing there. Yeah… I'm a pretty big deal at camp.

"So… I guess now I have to recite some memories, like Annabeth was when I walked in to my funeral. This time… I sure as Hades hope that it happens this time. Where Bella walks in, shocking us all. But I know it won't happen.

"What can I say? Bella was one heck of a sister. She was annoying, sarcastic, and most of all, she was selfless. Extremely selfless. That's what went down up there- she finally pulled a selfish act. She never had done it before, but chose not to live without Edward, knowing that he had done it for the past hundred years… why not now?

"But I think Bella didn't know that we all cared for her, and didn't know that everyone who had met her, unless they were an enemy, never left not happy.

"One memory for a fact was when Bella and I were racing against time to try and save Annabeth. We weren't allowed to go, since she got on Zoe's bad side and stuck up for men. Well… let's just say we were not allowed to go since a whole fight broke out- the main people being Zoe and Bella.

"She kept me sane. I had no idea what I would do without my older sister to keep me strong throughout it all. At the time, we were only 13 years old.

"When we got there, at Atlas's holding spot, she tried to do yet another selfless act and hold up the sky while I would move in and get Annabeth. The thing that makes it so selfless, was at the time she had been stabbed in the calf, making her legs weak. She was limping going in there. Luckily, I was able to keep her from doing any serious damage, and took the sky myself. I remember thinking dang, I'm glad Bella doesn't have to do this.

"That's how I got this gray hair, and how I know how extremely selfless and amazing Bella really is."

I smiled at everyone, and stepped back. That was the cue for everyone to know I was finished with my speech, and everyone stood up to clap. People were crying, and the Cullens… they were all trying to keep it strong, be the big bad vampires… but I knew that inside, they were sobbing… well, dry sobbing I guess.

Chiron had all of us friends step forward and take the body, wrapped in her shroud. We did, and together, laid her on the burning rocks. Yes, rocks. Rocks that were from our father's home in Atlantis.

We watched as it burned, but I knew it wouldn't last too long. The Olympians make it so the smell is the person's favorite food or flower… depending on who they are. Bella's… it smelled like my mother's cookies coming out of the oven.

That brought whopper memories back at me.

The body and shroud burnt in silence, and campers brought up shrouds from the others who were lost during the war. Every person who came up recited a little memory, lasting a maximum of one minute, and laid the shroud on the fire.

Bella was the only body there that night, because our mother couldn't afford to have a funeral. So… we decided to have one here. At Camp. Usually the shroud would only be burned. But we decided to have the body, too. She didn't want to rot 6 feet under anyways.

After about twenty minutes, I hugged 20 campers who came up here, whether it was just a clap on the back, or a hug, they all had a meaning. Someone that was the reason of all of these campers coming together.

If only it didn't have to be because someone died. That's unfair.

I had this weird feeling someone was watching me. I know that there were obviously some people watching me, but I guess this felt different.

I looked at the entrance of the arena, where it was held, and saw an all too familiar face. Now she shows up.

She locked eyes with me and smiled.

"Hey everyone! Looks like we have an unplanned guest!" I yelled, pointing to the entrance. Everyone gasped, some cried out, and I was just laughing. Leave it to her to get that entrance. I mean, no one cried out for me!

Then, everyone was silent, waiting for her to say something. "Uhm… honey, I'm ho-ome!" Bella yelled, making everyone start to laugh.

"You-her body- what?" Annabeth asked, her eyes wide.

"The Three Fates were on our side," I explained, and Annabeth nodded, though I could still see she could not believe what just happened. So, to clear it all up… I kissed her.

When we pulled apart, no one wolf whistled, since all of them had their attention on our newest guest.

I heard the faint sound of some people joining us, obviously waiting for Bella to get out of the crowd. I knew it was the Cullens, just understanding how much Bella meant to them shocked me. Bella… she needs that. She can't just go throughout the day with no one understanding her… like a lover type relationship.

So… as much as I hate to say it… I'm happy Bella found Edward.

Bella POV-

I'm finally home.

I got hugs, and high-fives from all of the campers besides the ones that really mattered to me… no offense, though.

Once the campers winded down, heading off to their cabins to go to sleep, I headed to the main stage where all of the people I truly cared about were. I hugged Esme, squeezing. I really missed her motherly figure. I gave Carlisle a hug, happy to have my awesome second… well third dad back. I gave Rosalie a hug, and I knew things were going to get better between us.

Emmet… well, I was glad he didn't break all the bones in my body. He squeezed me so tight, Alice had to yell at him. Everyone else was laughing to hard… but Alice was mad at him for what I think this time is screwing up my outfit and hair. Aphrodite decided to step in and make the new me more… fashionable. But I would change as soon as I got the chance.

I gave Jasper a hug, then Nico, who I knew was the bestest little brother in the world… well fake brother that is. Annabeth and I cried when we hugged each other, happy that we were both alive. I gave Thals a hug, and laughed when she didn't cry. Apparently she doesn't cry… but I've seen her cry and I did our little handshake… and it took long.

I had to bend down to give Alice her hug. She was practically beaming, and I was happy that we were best friends again… finally.

I turned to Percy, and looked at him up and down. "Casual. Smart… but at the same time… I have no idea how I could have gotten stuck with a seaweed brain like you for a twin." I shook my head in fake amazement, then he pulled me into a hug.

"Nice to have you back, sis. But I think we're going to have to leave you alone here with the next one." I nodded, and he pulled back.

"Can you guys come and help me pick up the rest of the cabin? I need all the help I can get before Bella tries to kill me." Everyone, even the Cullens got the message and left. Everyone but Edward. We locked eyes, and once I heard everyone leave I sighed.

"I should've never left you."

That caught me by surprise. I thought he didn't love me… at all. "What?"

"I lied to you, you know… the day I left."

"What did you lie about?" I asked, and he gestured me to follow him. He walked to a bench, and sat down next to me.

"Loving you… I've always loved you, Bella," Edward told me, his pure, golden eyes telling me the truth. "And losing you… it was pure torture. I had no reason to live… not one!"

"What about your family? Carlisle, Alice, Rose, Emmet, Jasper, Esme wouldn't bare having to lose another child." I told him, and he shook his head.

"They all know that when I ever lose you… I'm gone too."

"What do you mean?" I asked, hoping he wasn't talking about suicide… but in some twisted way I knew he was.

"There's a group out there called the Voltouri. They are the leaders of the vampire kind… they would kill me if I asked them too… and if they wouldn't, I'd make a distraction to the public so they'd have to kill me."

"Oh. But since I'm here… you aren't going anywhere." I pulled him in for a kiss, and blushed when we pulled apart.

"I missed that blush…" he seemed to remember something, "Oh, and Bella, I love you."

I smiled, and I have a feeling that if it got any wider, my face would rip. "I love you too."

Sammy Black POV- (You'll find out about her later)

This is bad. Very bad. The flippin' ancients are rising!

This is the end of Secrets…

But it is not the last time You will see me.

~Bella Jackson

(and with help getting her here, GoGreen52)