A/N I wrote this awhile ago and just got a chance to put it up. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I own the idea for this story, not the characters.

Thalia: They look but they do not see.

"Thalia, what do I do?"

"Nothing, Percy."

"But they're staring at me!"

"I know."

"Can't you make them stop?"

"No."

"But I feel like they can see right through me. They'll find out all my secrets. they'll realize that I'm not the hero they think I am."

"You are a hero. Don't ever doubt yourself for a moment. As for the gods, don't worry about them. They never pay attention anyway."

Thalia had grown up knowing that the gods don't pay attention to their children. To her, it was one of the most basic facts in a demigod's life. It just about as basic as the fact that swords can hurt you or that monsters can and will kill you if they have a chance.

When Thalia had first found out that she had been a tree, well she was surprised but sadly not as much as she should have been. She was surprised that her father had saved her from dying but had shrugged it off as him wanting another pawn in war. It was also sad that Thalia hadn't been surprised when she found out that Luke had betrayed them. Sure, she hadn't wanted to believe it, but she hadn't been really surprised. It was a long time coming really.

The one time that Thalia was surprised when it came to something mythology related was when she had met Percy Jackson. The kid was an enigma, that was for sure. According to what she had heard, Percy had already been living with this mythology in his life for two year before he met her. Yet, the kid still managed to be surprised when the gods did something that defied all logic of what a good parent should be. Thalia had been in a tree for seven years, but even she knew how bad the gods were. Percy also different in the fact that he wasn't prideful (like Annabeth), he didn't hold grudges (like Nico), and he certainly did not want power (like Thalia). All in all, he was the most humble hero that Thalia had met. He didn't even think he was a hero.

However, Percy was also the most innocent and ignorant demigod that she had met. He was by no means dumb, but he didn't see everything that he should have. He was ignorant to the fact that the gods didn't always care for their children. Percy was also innocent. He always managed to see the good in others, not the bad. Over all, Percy was a lost. He didn't know what to do in a world where everybody wasn't kind. So, when Thalia got out of her tree form, she couldn't help but want to help guide the poor kid. She may not have been much older than him when she got out of tree form, but if she had aged normally, she could have passed as his older sister if it weren't for the eyes.

Thalia loved to help Percy when he asked for her advice. When he asked about the gods though, and she couldn't help him, she felt miserable. Thalia Grace who was supposed to know all the answers (to real problems, Annabeth explained the school stuff) didn't know the answer to what was essentially an easy question: What do I do? It was disappointing to say the least. Thalia knew that she had to answer him though, and as she thought about it, Thalia realized that she did know that answer to Percy's question. It probably wasn't the one he wanted though. Percy probably wanted Thalia to say something like, 'Oh, don't worry about the gods. They'll stop watching you eventually. They just care for you alot and want to watch over you. That's all."

Sadly, if Thalia said that, she'd be a liar, and she couldn't lie to Percy. So Thalia did the hard thing. She told Percy the absolute truth. The gods… Didn't. Care.

"How can you say that when they're watching my every move?"

"They look and they watch, Percy, but they do not see. They never do."

"Even why you are a hero?"

"Especially when you are a hero."

Thalia acted strong because she was. It didn't bother her at all that her dad ignored her. It didn't bother her that he checked on her monthly but still didn't see that she was having difficulties. Nope, it didn't bother her at all. She was perfectly fine.

Liar.

o-O-o

Luke: They hear but do not listen.

"Dad, can't you guys see the ruin you guys are causing?"

"We can't help it son."

"Yes, you can!"

"What can we do?"

"Claim your kids. Maybe try to actually care for them a little."

"I already do that."

"Then make the rest of the gods!"

"I will. I promise."

Luke had known from the very beginning that his life wasn't going to end well. He knew it even before he became a demigod. Luke grew up with a mother that was insane. She may have loved him but it was hidden deep deep down underneath his insanity.

As Luke grew up, it got worse. Eventually, Luke ran away in fear that he would go insane. Then, he met his father. The almighty Hermes: trickster, messenger, god of thieves and travelers, and all around the biggest jerk that Luke had ever met. Seriously, what dad would abandon their kid to live with a crazy woman if he actually loved them?

The other gods cared about him even less than his dad. He tried to get them to listen to logic, but they wouldn't. It was like they were deaf.

Luke had been planning to betray and defeat the gods for years, so really, when Kronos came along with a plan that would help him not only give him and army but also power too, could you really blame him when he said yes?

Luke didn't want to betray Percy, Annabeth, or Thalia, but he had to do what he had to do. Hopefully they would come around eventually.

"It's sad that you can't keep your promise, dad."

"Yes, I can! I'll make them listen to me."

"No, dad. They will hear you, but they will never listen."

"I don't believe you."

"I know dad, trust me, I know."

Did it hurt that Luke's own father didn't believe him? Oh ya, it burned, but what could Luke do? The gods never listened anyway. (Years later, after he had died, he found out that Percy had actually gotten the gods to listen for once. To say he had been surprised would be an understatement.) When Luke's own father had said that he didn't believe him, it had been the final straw. But it wasn't like it bothered him or anything. No, he was fine.

Liar.

o-O-o

Nico: I touch but do not feel.

"Bianca, I miss you."

"I miss you too, Nico."

"Can… can I have a hug?"

"Of course."

"It's not the same you know."

"I know, honey, I know."

To not be able to hug his own sister was torturous for Nico. Yes, being a don of Hades meant that he could in fact touch the dead, but it wasn't the same. Their skin was soft as a cloud (because it basically was one), and their arms didn't hold the same warmth as someone that was alive.

It broke Nico's heart everytime he saw him sister. Yes, she was happy, but he could tell that she missed him. Bianca was his all. She was the reason that he got up in the morning and faced the cruel world. He did it because he knew that she would want him to. Bianca was his rock, but then she left. One morning, Nico woke up feeling like a part of his heart was missing, like it had just disappeared, and he didn't understand what was going on. When he took his daily trip to the underworld though, he finally understood what had happened. A piece of his heart really was missing. Bianca had thought that she was burdening him, distracting him from his task.

Bianca had chosen rebirth that day, and she took a part of his heart with her.

"Nico! Are you okay!?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Don't worry."

"Don't lie to me Di Angelo. You are not fine. Your hands are passing through things!"

"Gosh, Will, calm down. You sound like my mother."

"At least I care."

"And you don't know how much that means."

Nico missed his sister, alot, but when Hazel came along, she started to help him heal. When Will came along, things got even better. However, no one could replace that empty spot in his heart that Bianca had. He was fine though. In the end, he was fine.

Liar.

o-O-o

Annabeth: I'm here but I'm not.

"Annabeth, do you ever have memories of Tartarus that make you think that you are still there?"

"Yes, I do. They are called flashbacks, Percy."

"But they are so real."

"I know Percy, but they're not."

"Actually, I think they are."

"What?"

"No one gets out of Tartarus whole. I think… I think a part of us is still down there. Maybe a part of our hearts or our souls. Maybe even a part of our sanity."

"I think that you are right."

"I know."

Annabeth was a good actress if she did say so herself. She was getting along great. Percy though, he knew how to see through her faςade. He could see the pain hidden deep in her eyes. Nico could see it a little too, but not as much as Percy. Both of them knew what it was like though. They knew what it was like to truly see Tartarus.

They had memories, all of them, memories and flashbacks of their time there. Annabeth remembered drinking the fire water of the Phlegethon river. She also remembered leaning on Percy as they used each other as support. She didn't even want to think what it was like for Nico, even if he in there for a shorter time than them.

Most of the time, Annabeth's nightmares woke her up screaming, and she would have to seek refuge in the Poseidon cabin where Percy would already be up waiting for her. Then, they would talk about their dreams because somehow that made it easier for them.

Even Annabeth's flashbacks were bad. One moment she would be spouting out some random fact, and the next moment she would be frozen in place staring around at Tartarus because It was so real! The next moment Annabeth would be shaken out of her trance by Percy who would scold her for not talking to him about her problems.

They were fake. Annabeth knew that, but the memories were so nightmarishly real.

"Annabeth. Annabeth!"

"You zoned out for a second there. I need to talk to you about another statue,"

"Oh, sorry."

"It's fine. It's strange though… and kind of funny. I could have sworn that you weren't fully here."

"I'm not, Jason. I'm not."

So what if Annabeth zoned out every other day? At least it wasn't every day. She was getting better. In fact, she didn't need to get better because she was entirely fine.

Liar.

o-O-o

Percy: I am (sane) but I am not.

"Percy, are you okay?"

"Yes, Leo, I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am, Annabeth."

"Percy, Annabeth is usually right about these things."

"Well she's wrong about this, Jason."

"Face it, Percy, you are not fine, but you don't need be strong for us."

"Yes, Piper, I do."

Percy need to stay strong for the others so that they didn't break. He was doing a great job though because he was fine. So what if he was already awake whenever Annabeth came in? He was just prepared for her, that's all. It wasn't like he was already awake from his own nightmares. No, that was preposterous.

Yes, of course Percy was well-rested. Oh, those dark circles beneath his eyes? It was an, um, prank by Travis and Connor, ya. They didn't know anything about them? Obviously they are lying. They are pranksters after all. They swore on the River Styx? Uh, heh… he tripped?

Oh don't worry. Percy was well-fed too. He just missed a few meals from training. Don't worry, he got food from the kitchens afterward. Ya, that's totally what happened. Yep don't worry. Percy is one-hundred percent okay.

As for his sanity? Percy couldn't be better. He was doing great and was already cracking jokes again. Yes, he was okay.

"Peter! How are Annabel and you doing?"

"We're fine. Annabeth is slowly healing."

"What about you, Pedro."

"Percy, it's Percy."

"Answer the question, Patrick."

"I'm fine."

"I can see your mind Philip. You're not fine."

"Don't read my thoughts."

"I didn't. I'm the god of insanity. I can just sense these things."

"So?"

"You are on the brink of insanity… Percy."

"But I'm not there yet."

So what if Percy was near insanity? He wasn't insane yet. Besides, he was completely fine anyway.

Liar.

o-O-o

We are heroes.

We are brave.

We are strong.

But most of all: We. Are. Fine.

(But in reality, we are liars.)

A hero's fate?

Ya, you can say that again.

A/N Man, this is the longest one-shot I have ever done! For those of you who are worried about my one-shot Turtle (which is probably like none of you) it is coming soon. I'm just busy and all. There is also the annoying fact that instead of my muse being flighty when I am busy, it likes to bug me with tons of ideas constantly when I have not time to write. :P Oh well.

Please review. It makes my day and tell me if you like my stuff or not. Don't be afraid to tell me what I can improve. :D

Bye my minions! (Or lovelies, your choice.)