Percy's POV

I knew I shouldn't have let Jessie stay with me. I don't know how he found out who I really was but now he's forced me to reveal my identity.

Piper looked like she was seeing a ghost, which I guess she was.

"How?" She asked.

"You never did explain how you were alive," Luke said. I didn't recognize the other soldiers, except for Jason who I couldn't believe was still alive. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised, look at me and Luke. I assumed Thalia was among the soldiers, but I can't tell which one she might be.

Sighing I sat down, "It's a funny story actually. You know, your usual run of the mill betrayal story."

"Gaea has the blonde girl from my dreams, doesn't she?" Jessie asked as he barged into the room. Who let him in here? He stopped short when he realized I had taken my mask off. "It's true, you are the boy."

"Dreams?" I asked.

"After I got to camp, I started having these dreams of a boy, he looked like you, and a blonde girl. I saw her die. I- I'm sorry." He actually looked like he meant it.

"Well she's alive again, and she's in danger," Luke said to the kid, "Now sit down and let the man speak." For once the kid did as he was told.

"As I was saying," I started again. "After Annabeth died, I just wanted to join her, so as some of you know, I died."

"Did you even think about how your mother felt about that?" One of the soldiers said, she sounded familiar, Thalia?

Piper looked a little confused, "Yeah, we had to tell your mother that you were dead, and she was devastated."

Closing my eyes, I responded, "And I regret that I put her through that every day." I had seen her a few times before the accident. I never could bring myself to talk to her though.

"I had hoped to reunite with Annabeth in Elysium," I continued. "But I was sidetracked, to Tartarus. Gaea and Kronos wanted to talk to me. They offered me a chance for revenge on the Gods and a second chance with Annabeth, so I took it."

"He can be quite convincing can't he," Luke said sourly, "When did you realize his promises were empty?"

"Pretty quick, but I was already a Titan and had gone too far," I answered. "I decided to just leave once I had my revenge."

"But why did you want revenge on the Gods?" Jessie asked, "You saved Olympus so many times."

I laughed, "I saved them and what did I get in return? My friend's dead, six months of my life gone, my girlfriend murdered in front of me. Ares himself ordered his son to destroy my life. They all had to pay."

"And what will Annabeth think? You're not the same Percy she knew," Piper said. She still seemed a little dazed, I guess it's not every day you find out a bunch of your old friends aren't actually dead.

"Unfortunately, she's probably getting used to people changing on her," Luke said sadly.

"Help us," The girl who sounded like Thalia said, "If you help us save her and defeat Gaea, then maybe she'll forgive you."

"She's right," Luke said. "I know it can seem like you've done awful things you can't come back from but fight with us and we can help make up for all we've done."

"That's what you've been trying to do isn't it?" Jessie asked. "That's why you've been helping kids like me, you feel guilty."

"I don't feel guilty of anything!" I yelled at them, "Percy Jackson is dead!"

After what I did, so many demigods killed, so many families destroyed after Kronos took over. Annabeth would never forgive me. I could never forgive myself.

"Percy," Possibly Thalia said, pulling me out of my thoughts. She reached up and took her mask off, "Please."

It was Thalia, and she wasn't looking at me like I was a monster.

"My name is Órkos, and I am no hero," I said, reaching to put my mask back on.

"Percy, you don't have to let your past control you," Luke tried again. "Help us save Annabeth, maybe it will help you forgive yourself for whatever you blame yourself for."

"Saving Annabeth isn't going to bring back all the people who've died," I glared at him. "Stopping Gaea, and then what? Bring back the Gods? And how many more people will suffer?"

"Is that part of the problem?" Thalia asked, "You blame yourself for everyone who died don't you."

"Annabeth died because of me, Tyson died because of me, Leo died because of me, so many people have died because of me," I said, fighting back my tears.

"Well if it makes any difference," A new voice spoke up from the soldiers, "Not everyone stays dead."

I looked up and saw Leo, alive and one of the soldiers. Was this why Chaos refused to take Jessie? Only people who died were good enough for his army?

"You're alive," I said. Obvious I know but I couldn't believe my eyes. For years I had been haunted by his death, how Calypso must have felt when she found her boyfriend dead.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I've got this thing against staying dead," He smirked.

I couldn't help myself, for the first time in years I felt like laughing, a real genuine laugh of happiness.

"So, will you help us?" Leo asked.

I thought about it for a minute. There was no way I was leaving Annabeth in Dirt Face's grasp.

"Fine, but on one condition," I decided. "None of you tell Annabeth I'm alive, she thinks I'm an imposter and I want to keep it that way."

"But-" Luke started to say something but I stopped him.

"No, I don't want her to know what I've become. Do we have a deal?"

No one seemed very happy about it, but they eventually agreed.

"Great," I said, putting my mask back on, "Lets go visit our grandmother,"