My siblings got to Camp Half-Blood and went straight to the Dionysus cabin. But not me. I had somewhere else to be. Someone I had to see.

I walked the streets of New Rome anxiously, going over in my head what I would say to him. The last year has been torture without him, but now that my dad is safely back on Olympus, we don't have to be apart anymore.

And then I saw his house and my breath hitched in my excitement. I jogged the last few steps to the door, about to knock when I saw my reflection in the window on the door. I straightened my collar and tried to flatten my blond hair, key word: tried.

I took a deep breath, bouncing on the balls of my feet. I knocked excitedly before it occurred to me that Luke was most likely at Camp Half-Blood and that I walked all the way over here for no reason.

I was just about to turn away when the door swung open, Percy's shocked face on the other side.

"Hi," I said awkwardly.

"Noah!" Percy gasped, lunging forward to give me a hug. I wasn't expecting it, but I melted into it. I'd missed this. This feeling of belonging, that I was part of this family. Like I'm home.

He held me arms length by my shoulders, looking me over.

"Are you alright? Is everything okay?"

"Yes. Yes, everything's fine. I just got home, and I came to see Luke, but I suppose he's at Camp..."

Percy's eyes darkened. "About that...you might want to come inside."

Worry blossomed in my chest. "Is something wrong?" I asked too quickly.

Percy hesitated. "A lot's happened since you've been gone," he supplied, and turned, leading the way back inside.

Percy sat me down on the couch and told me everything.

When he was done, there was nothing for me to say. I felt anger so blinding that I sat as calm as can be. I rose silently from the couch, fists balled, and headed to the door.

"Noah, where are you going?"

"San Francisco," I said.

"No," Percy argued. "You stay away from him, Noah. Nothing good can come of you going."

But I ignored him and left New Rome into Mortal San Francisco. I hailed a taxi and soon arrived at the prison.

"I need to speak to an inmate here. His name is Aiden Miller," I told the lady at the desk. She had me fill out a few forms, then led me to an area where I could sit and talk to an inmate over the phone, fiber glass separating us.

She told me Aiden would be a few minutes, so I waited in silence. Then from the other side of the glass, Aiden was led in, his hands cuffed in front of him, dressed in orange.

He didn't actually look at me until he was sat down and grabbed the phone. I was expecting a look of surprise, but instead I got a look of recognition.

"Noah Williams," He said.

"Aiden Miller," I greeted back.

He gave me a chilling grin and said, "what brings you here?"

My calm exterior began to crack and I started getting emotional.

"I've heard what you've done. You hurt the most amazing person in the world and I won't stand for it!"

Aiden nodded, and a singe tear fell down his face. "That's fair. I'm sorry for what I did, I really am. I didn't mean it. I never knew it was unwelcome and I...now I've got this thirty year sentence for a mistake I made and...Please understand. It was an accident."

I felt myself feeling bad for Aiden. What a horrible thing this is that's happened to him. He'll be spending thirty years in prison, for making a—

Wait. No. It wasn't a mistake.

"Raping someone is not an accident," I growled.

He sighed, some crying in an instant. "I tried," he said. He was once again the asshole Percy described.

"Why Luke?" I asked in a quiet voice.

He chuckled darkly. "Hm let me see, he was famous, for one. And vulnerable. Very vulnerable. It was easy to work my way into his life, to gain his trust. All that was left was to get what I wanted. And then I got that too."

The blood rose to my face so fast I was dizzy. I'd never been angrier in my whole life. I'm not a violent person, but right now, Aiden's going to regret ever laying eyes on Luke.

My anger seemed to have unlocked a new side of me. It felt like I gained access to a whole new part of my brain. And the more angry I got at Aiden, the more tangible his consciousness was.

I felt around his mind with mine and I surrounded it. I heard the snap loud and clear in my head.

Across from me, on the other side of the glass, Aiden instantly went spacey. His eyes widened and went out of focus and his mouth hung open. I noticed hairline fractures on the glass in between us.

I grabbed the phone again from where I dropped it. Aiden's phone was hanging from the wire, swaying slightly.

"Have a good life, Aiden. I hope insanity treats you well."

Aiden didn't even acknowledge me as I got up and left.

^*^*^*^

Back at Camp Half-Blood, I paced around, looking for Luke. I checked the sword fighting arena and the lava wall and of course the docks, but he was nowhere to be found.

I eventually went up to Chiron. "Do you know where I can find Luke? It's very important."

Chiron mused for a second before his eyes flickered to the Cabins.

"I have a feeling you may find him if you investigate Cabin 26."

"Thank you, sir," I said, running off. I was about to go inside when I noticed a red light on the side of the building. I went over to check it out and it was built into the wall beside an engraved ladder.

Beside the light was a switch and a note from Milo's handwriting.

Luke, REMEMBER TO SWITCH ON THE LIGHT IF YOU ARE SITTING ON THE ROOF! We don't want to have another incident where we can't find you, because believe me that's the worst feeling in the world. Thx.

Love,
Milo(best friend ever)

I laughed softly. I glanced up at the roof. Luke is up there. I'm about to see him after a year apart. And I'm scared. I don't know what Luke I'm going to be seeing. Because according to Percy, this Puke up there is not the Luke I knew. The Luke I knew is buried under all that trauma and depression.

I take a deep breath and grab onto the ladder, I'll just have to bring a shovel and dig him out.

When I got to the top, Luke turned around to see me coming, about to say something, but caught himself at the last minute. Just like at the docks two years ago.

His face lit up in surprise when he saw me, and I went to sit next to him. He was criss cross and I let me legs dangle over the edge. Just like at the docks.

His eyes started watering. "Noah, I'm...so glad you're home and-and safe and...everything," he said, turning away. He couldn't keep eye contact with me.

My heart broke for him. Tears streamed from my eyes. "Luke, I'm so sorry. I never should have left. This never should have happened to you. You're too amazing for something this shitty to happen to you. And I still love you, if you would take me back. I love you so fucking much, Luke."

He turned back to me and his eyes hollowed me out. They looked so empty and devoid of hope. Those were not the same eyes from a year ago. I opened my arms to him and he fell into me.

He was tense at first, very stiff. But as I cried, he began to relax, and though he wasn't making any sound, I could feel his tears on my neck.

"I missed you," I murmured.

"I missed you too," he whispered back.

After hugging for awhile, he pulled away, almost like he was distancing me from himself. Like he felt the need for space. Like he didn't feel safe.

That hurt me, but I understood. I didn't push it or challenge it.

"So?" I asked him, my voice breaking with the emotion. "Would you have me back?"

"I...need time, I think," Luke said and my heart plummeted.

"I need to get my life together and my feelings together before I jump into another relationship. I messed up last time, and I do love you Noah, but I don't want to be your boyfriend right now. Not yet. I just need you to be my friend."

I nodded. "I understand that. And I'd love to be your friend."

And I took his hand, because I knew that was one of his favorite things and I knew it comforted him when he was feeling anxious or scared.

He gave me a weak smile and squeezed my hand. I squeezed back.