Enjoy! :)

Chapter Quote:
"You know, you can only actually help someone who wants to be helped."
~Jojo Moyes, Me Before You
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Chapter 24: Forgive and Forget

Upon entering New Rome, Luke and I were instantly brought inside the Senate house, but not before having a mental pat-down and our weapons taken away by an armless, legless statue with anger issues.

Luke and I were placed in the center with seats rising high above us. On one balcony stood two people, a girl and a boy. They wore purple capes, telling me they were important. The girl had tan skin, dark hair, and calculating eyes, but she seemed reasonable. The boy was blond, scrawny, and his blue eyes told me he was not going to be persuaded no matter how logical the argument against him was.

"My name is Octavian. This is Reyna. We are the praetors of New Rome. Now, Greeks," he hissed, making the word sound like it had the same meaning as 'traitor', "state your name, age, and purpose for being in San Francisco."

"My name is Shiloh Carter. This is Luke Castellan. I'm twenty one, he's twenty four. We're searching for my friend," I explained.

"I believe I asked him too. Now shut up and let him speak for himself," Octavian barked. Luke snarled at him but said nothing. "Answer me, boy."

"He barely talks to me so I doubt he's going to answer you," I snapped.

"Why does he not speak?" Reyna asked firmly.

"We were attacked by some monsters months ago. I don't know what they did to him but he's never been the same since. It took him a week to finally say something. The stuff he says usually pertains to me."

"Is it true he is the one that brought Saturn back to life?"

Luke closed his eyes. I saw the pain, the regret, etched onto his face. Luke had been through enough recently. I couldn't risk him getting hurt even worse by these Romans dredging up the past.

So I lied. "He's no-"

"I am," Luke interrupted me. I stared at him, mouth open. Whispers were flying around the Senate hall but I ignored them. Luke opened his eyes, staring directly at me. I saw the sadness in him as he said, "I'm the one who brought Kronos back."

"You're speaking," I said. "You're actually speaking."

"I don't care what you want to do to me. Beat me, hit me, kill me, I don't care, but for the love of the gods, don't touch her."

"Don't you dare think about getting us separated," I growled.

"Let her go, and I'll tell you anything you want to know," Luke continued. He hadn't taken his eyes off of me and while I was flattered by his courage and declaration of love for me, I was also beyond angry of what he was requesting the Romans do.

"You're not exactly in a position to bargain with us," Octavian pointed out.

"No, but you're going to have to get better shackles," Luke remarked, pulling his hands from behind his back with his handcuffs in hand. He tossed them up to a flabbergasted Octavian while he unlocked mine.

"How did you do that?" I asked.

"I have the ability to unlock locks with my mind. I just have to be touching them," he said, tossing my handcuffs up to Octavian too. The Roman praetor was barking orders at Roman soldiers to accost us.

"You're talking. Why are you suddenly talking? You haven't spoken in months."

"I- it's... it's something I can't... you were in danger Shiloh."

"Luke, what did the arai do to you?"

Luke cringed. "Please don't make me explain. I'll be okay, but you're not involved in this. I love you."

"Take her away. It seems he will only speak if she's not in the room," Reyna commanded. Strong hands grabbed me by my arms, pulling me away from Luke. I struggled in futile against them. They dragged me out of the Senate house. I didn't stop struggling until they threw me into a prison cell. They shut the door behind them and left. Knowing it was useless to try and escape, I began pacing up and down, unable to suppress the worry over Luke being all alone, interrogated by the Romans.
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Later that day...

Hours must've passed before I finally heard footsteps coming towards me. I glanced at the door, wondering if they were going to open the door for me or for someone else. Thankfully, and rather to my surprise, Reyna opened my door.

"Come. I will take you to Luke," she said, motioning for me to follow her. I hesitated before going after her, not exactly trusting what was happening.

"Where's Luke? What's the verdict?" I asked anxiously.

"I'm not saying we went easy on him, but so far he lives. I do apologize for the way he looks. Octavian was rough."

"Octavian looks like he could be knocked out by a fly," I said. "So he's stronger than he looks?"

"Oh no, Octavian didn't actually touch him. You're right about how he physically couldn't harm anyone. He does have others who do his bidding though. I've given his some ambrosia and nectar to help."

"It's that bad?"

"Yes. I will not hide the truth from you. I don't trust either of you but I want you to know you can trust me. And unlike the other praetor, I'm not going to beat you for answers. I want to talk to you while we go see Luke. He talked about you a lot. Is it true you saved his life?"

"No. I mean I helped but in the end, only he could save himself."

"That's not how he put it. He said you prevented him from being skewered by a guy named Grey I believe? You fell down into the Underworld with him, stopped an arai from killing him, and stopped him from killing himself. I would say you did save him."

"What?" I stopped in my tracks. "That last thing you said... did he- did he really say that?"

Reyna faced me, her expression confused. "You did not know?"

"No. I mean I know he's been having a lot of trouble after the arai but I didn't know it was that... that it was that bad. Oh gods..." I murmured. Reyna placed a steadying hand on my shoulder.

"Perhaps we should sit down?"

"No, no, I just need to get to him. Please, lead the way. What else did he say?"

"He told us his reasoning for joining Saturn, or Kronos I guess for you Greeks. He told us that you're searching for your friend Percy Jackson. I was surprised to hear that name."

"You know him? Do you know where is?" I questioned quickly.

"I do, and not the exact location. He's on a quest right now. He is to be back the day of the Feast of Fortuna or us Romans are done for."

"He'll make it. I know he will," I declared. Reyna led me into a bustling city. I received strange looks from people but I ignored them. I was too in awe by the sights around me. "What is this place?"

"A safe haven for demigods to live, no matter their age. Quite a few people live here their entire lives. We have a hotel up ahead. This is where we've placed you and Luke. Oh, and since we've deemed you a non-threat, here, your weapon. Luke was already returned his."

"Thank you. Is this it?" I asked as we stopped in front of a doorway. Two guards were stationed on either side.

"Yes. You have free reign of the city and of New Rome itself. However you are not allowed to leave New Rome. Not until Percy has returned. Here is your key. Room service is twenty-four-seven. There's a list of restaurants on the computer."

"Okay. Um, how exactly are we to pay for all this and why are there guards?"

"You're not. As guests of New Rome, we will pay for everything you do. Now, go see Luke. I'm sure he's looking forward to seeing you. As for the guards, they were just to make sure Luke didn't leave while you were away. Good day Ms. Carter."

Reyna motioned for the guards to follow her. They walked off. Her cape billowed regally behind her, making me want one just so I could walk around and have a cape billowing regally behind me.... Is that weird?

Shaking my thoughts out of my head, I opened the door. Luke was limping around the room in an attempt to pace. I don't know what they'd done to him but they'd obviously beaten him senseless. Or at least Antony had. Bruises covered his face and arms, his right eye was swollen, he had a busted lip, and he had small gashes on his arm. These were only the injuries I could see. I shuddered at the thought of the ones I couldn't.

"What did they do to you?" I breathed. Luke's head snapped up, making him grimace.

"A number, but I'm okay. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

"No, no..."

We stared at each other for a minute before Luke asked, "Why are you staring at me like that?"

I swallowed nervously before answering. "I don't want to hurt you. I feel if I hug you I'll break all the bones in your body."

"I don't care if you hurt me," he said, giving me a small smile. I threw my arms around his neck and I felt his arms wrap around my waist, lifting me off the floor.

"Just never hurt yourself, please," I whispered. Luke pulled away, brushing a strand of hair out of my face.

"What do you mean?"

"Reyna told me what you said in the interrogation, about me and how I stopped you from getting killed by Grey and the arai and your-" I choked up on the words unable to finish my sentence.

"She wasn't supposed to tell you that. I didn't think she'd- Shiloh I'm sorry."

"Is that why've you been so quiet these past few months? Because you were thinking about it?"

My boyfriend stared at his feet, unable to look at me. "When the arai attacked me, the curse wasn't healable by anyone. It showed me every single person I got killed in the war. Charlie, Silena, Michael, Ethan, Zoe, Lee Castor, Bianca, and so many more. But I remember the names of every single one of them because I had to relive how they died over and over again. I still see it. I was in too much pain over what I'd done that I physically couldn't speak, and that I didn't deserve to live." Luke looked up at me, his eyes were shining with unshed tears. "Shiloh, I still believe I don't. I don't know how you can say I deserve a second chance. I've gotten hundreds and hundreds of innocent people killed and I can't fix that. No matter how much apologizing I do, no matter how much I do to prove that I am not that Luke anymore, anyone who knew any of those people that died will never see me for who I am now. They will always see me as who I was. I love you Shiloh, more than I can ever put into words, but you deserve to be with someone so much better than me. You deserve someone who is as beautiful- inside and out- as you are. I am neither of those."

"If you feel so strongly about me deserving someone else, why did you stay with me?"

"Because if there is one thing I am certain about, it is that you love me. If you didn't, you wouldn't have put up with a quarter of the crap I've put you through. I knew that if I left you, in any way, shape, or form, I'd hurt you, and I vowed I would never hurt you. I will never hurt you, Shiloh."

"Luke Castellan, if Annabeth Chase, Grover Underwood, and Thalia Grace, the three people who believed in you and trusted you the most, could forgive you after you killed so many of their friends, and if Percy could too, then the other campers will. I'm not saying they will never forget what you did, because I'd be lying. They will never forget what you did. But they can forgive. They can see you for who the man you have become and are still becoming. So whatever it is you're going through, tell me. I promise I will help you in every possible way I can, but promise me you won't give up on yourself. Promise me you won't leave me or Annabeth or Thalia or Grover or Percy permanently. Please Luke."

Luke cupped my cheek with his hand. "I promise."
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Darker chapter but now you know what's been going on with Luke! Hope you enjoyed and I look forward to the reviews I get (if any)!