A Fatal Flaw Has Nothing On A Broken Heart (Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

III Hazel

Bet you didn't see that POV coming! Anyways, on with the story!

Hazel had taken over guard duty with Frank after Jason and Percy had rushed off. She had no idea what they were doing, but she decided that something urgent must have come up for them to have abandoned their post like that. Everyone else had gone to their rooms besides Leo, but he was so immersed in his project inside the hull that she doubted he even knew they were there, so she and Frank were relatively alone. Instinctively, her hand went to the pocket on the inside of her jacket at the thought of Leo. It was generous of Leo to have made that fire proof pocket for Frank's stick of life.

She sensed Frank watching her so she turned and looked back at him. He had definitely changed since they had left. New Rome, that was for sure. It wasn't just the blessing of Mars either. He had a sense of honor and leadership about him. Much the same that Jason had. She was about to speak when Jason, almost as if summoned from her thoughts appeared back on deck.

"Meeting in the dining room. Now." He said quickly before heading over to Leo and notifying him. Hazel looked back at Frank again.

"Wonder what's going on." She asked.

Frank just shrugged and pointed towards the dining room. "Guess we'll just have to find out." The two headed over, Hazel dwarfed by Frank's height, and sat down next to each other. Not five seconds later, Piper and Annabeth appeared, both silent which was unusual. After them came Percy, also looking grim, and seconds later, Jason and Leo. Leo was the only one who was smiling. Hazel assumed that he had probably finished whatever it was he was doing down in the hull.

Jason cleared his throat as he sat down next to Piper and Leo. "So, um, Annabeth maybe you should start." Everyone's gazes swizzled towards Annabeth. She too cleared her throat and began.

"I was notified minutes ago of a rather unusual occurrence." She hesitated and it occurred to Hazel that whatever this "unusual occurrence" was, it must have been pretty awful to choke Annabeth up like this. "Percy's eyes turned red when he and Jason were talking. Apparently he got angry when it happened. So, they came to see me and Percy got angry at Gaia and again, his eyes turned red. This time something else happened though too." Annabeth drew a deep breath. "Gaia possessed him. She talked to us, and Percy told us that he could see and hear and feel everything, except it wasn't him that was doing it. It was Gaia."

Everyone slowly turned to look at Percy, staring dumbfounded. Percy shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "Guys..." He began slowly, looking down at his hands. "I-I don't..." He trailed off, biting his lip. "I'm going to my cabin." He said abruptly and left before anyone could stop him. Annabeth sighed heavily and put her head in her hands.

Hazel was shocked. Percy was like an older brother to her. It pained her that this had happened to him, that Gaia was now able to control Percy whenever he got mad. She couldn't even begin to imagine how that must feel, knowing that if he let his emotions get the best of him, he would be under Gaia's control.

Hazel glanced at the rest of the seven to see their reactions to this monumental news. Annabeth still had her head in her hands, Jason looked as grim as he had when he'd first entered, Piper's eyes were closed and she was holding onto Jason's arm, her mouth set in a determined line, Frank next to her had his mouth open, his eyes disbelieving, and Leo was siting as still as a stone, his eyes the only thing betraying the surprise he felt.

Finally Leo, unable to take the tension in the room spoke. "What do we do then?" Annabeth's head snapped up.

"What do you mean 'what do we do?'. There's nothing to do! We have no idea how Gaia is doing this! It doesn't make any sense!" Annabeth practically shouted. Leo shrunk back.