[ 5 years after chapter 50 ]

"Oh, the place is beautiful," Piper breathed as she, Percy and Leo walked into the banquet hall. Fairy lights adorned the walls, wrapped around bouquets of flowers. There were six tables draped in white tablecloths; a wedding party not too large or too small.

"We're at table 3," Leo informed them, passing the respective placards to Piper and Percy.

Frank and Hazel had moved to Long Island after they both graduated from college. Jason liked to joke and call them the picture-perfect relationship. Percy had to admit that he agreed. Hazel and Frank never, ever had a fight, and one day, he received their beautiful wedding invitation in the mail.

The banquet hall was on Long Island, and it wasn't too intimate a wedding, but their families and friends were present, making up about thirty guests.

All of their high school circle of friends had been invited, but Jason and Annabeth weren't able to make it. Jason had just started as an intern at an architecture firm and was struggling to work his way up to a junior position. Annabeth had just begun law school at Yale and was finally faced with a challenge large enough that it warranted her to stay home and study over the weekends.

Piper and Leo were coming as each other's dates — platonically, of course. Piper and Vincent had just broken up a few months ago, and Leo couldn't be bothered to find a date. Besides, this was Hazel and Frank, a random stranger attending maybe wasn't the best idea.

At the first table were Frank's grandma, his parents and Hazel's parents. Standing nearby was Hazel's brother Nico.

Percy caught a glimpse of bright blonde hair. He elbowed Piper. "Who's that next to Nico?"

She peered at them for a few seconds before whirling around to grip Percy's arm in astonishment. "Oh my God, that's Will!"

Leo responded with a bewildered expression matching Percy's. "Who's Will?"

"Will Solace," Piper clarified impatiently. "From high school! He was on the football team? Blonde, tall, tanned? There was a rumour he was gay?"

"Oh, that Will!" Percy finally remembered. He turned back to get a better look at him and Nico. "I can't believe it. That has got to be the most unexpected thing to happen."

"Quit staring," Piper suddenly hissed.  "They're heading over here. Sit, sit, sit." There was a commotion as they shuffled to sit down and look nonchalant.

Will was the first to speak as he pulled out a chair and sat down, smiling brightly. "It's crazy to see you guys here. It's been, what, five years?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah," Percy was the first one to recover from the initial shock and answer.

"Have you kept in touch with Hazel and Frank this whole time?" Will shrugged. "I mean, I remember you all being really close but it's so difficult to keep in touch with anyone after high school."

"Yeah," Leo trailed off. "Yeah, no, we do try to text every now and then. Sorry, we're just, kind of, in shock — are you and Nico here together?"

Percy buried his face in his hands, already feeling his cheeks burning bright red from second-hand embarrassment. Leo could be terribly blunt sometimes — and this was Percy saying that.

Nico, who had always struck Percy as a little creepy, actually flashed a half-smile which was even more shocking than anything else that had happened today. "It's okay," he said. "Most people don't believe it the first time."

"Did you guys get together back in our senior year?" Piper asked curiously.

"No, no," Will snorted. "College. Nico was...preoccupied in high school." He stifled a snicker, earning a glare from his boyfriend.

"Preoccupied?" Percy echoed.

Nico looked like he wanted to dig a hole and tunnel out of the room. He winced. "I had a massive crush on you back in high school."

Percy choked on his own breath and started hacking out coughs. "Sorry—you—what?"

Leo had burst into laughter and Piper looked like she was about to burst a lung holding hers in.

"Yeah, sorry," Nico said with a sheepish look. "Could you, like, not tell Annabeth? She might come beat me up or something."

It took Percy about five seconds to regain his wits. Nico was Hazel's younger brother. God, she would've murdered him if she'd known.

"Annabeth?" Percy snorted. "Trust me, she would find this hilarious. I'm never telling her."

Leo grinned. "Already texted her."

"I hate you," Percy mumbled. "This is why I don't see you more than once a year."

"Aw, I know you're lying, I'm your favourite," Leo said dismissively.

A slow hush washed over the hall, which Percy took as the cue for the ceremony to start.

There was the sound of footsteps as Frank ran out from the door, hurrying up to the podium with an embarrassed expression. He gave them a small wave and smile as he passed.

There were a few thuds as the musicians started to play their instruments. Beautiful violin music started to flow into the room.

Beside him, Leo abruptly stiffened, growing rigid as his mouth hung open slightly.

Percy gave him a sidelong glance, then followed Leo's frozen gaze to the front of the room. Percy did a double take.

Calypso was playing the violin. Her hair was cropped to her shoulders and had bleached streaks, and she was wearing coloured eyeliner, but there was no doubt that it was Calypso.

"That's her. I'm not dreaming, am I?" Leo whispered to Piper, his eyes glued to the orchestra. Piper shook her head.

The rest of the ceremony was beautiful. Hazel stepped into the room dressed in a flowing white dress and with her hair in its natural state under a thin mesh veil. She looked gorgeous, even as she almost began to cry when she reached Frank's side.

Leo didn't tear his gaze away from Calypso until the vows began. Percy sneaked a glance her way. Calypso hadn't noticed Leo yet. Hazel and Frank had to know about this. They'd probably arranged it. Percy vaguely recalled Annabeth mentioning Calypso to him a few years ago, and wondered if she had something to do with this.

The vows involved a lot of hiccup breaks and sniffling, but they managed to get through it. Percy couldn't help the crazy grin that spread from ear to ear; he'd known them for almost a decade at this point, and Hazel and Frank were meant to be.

The whole wedding also made him think of Annabeth. He missed her — a lot. He probably should be used to being apart from her by now, but Percy still felt her absence like a hole in his heart when she was gone.

They'd moved in together over the summer. It had come with its own problems; Annabeth being absent-minded when she was "in the zone" and working for almost 24 hours without stop, Percy having to work late because he was still a first-year police officer, bills that had to be paid and emptied their bank accounts.

But it was also extremely worth it because Percy got to see her on the weekends. He would drive down for work on Monday morning, stay with his mother and Paul for weeknights, and then drive back to Annabeth on Friday.

They'd discussed the complicated situation, and had reached the decision that the second Annabeth was done with law school, they'd shift over to Manhattan. It had always been Annabeth's dream to live in a big city like that and what better place to start than New York City?

Percy was also peripherally aware of the direction they were headed in; him and Annabeth standing in a banquet hall like this one in a couple of years' time at their own wedding. To be honest, he didn't mind. The idea gave him butterflies but it also made him remember that he'd been sure about Annabeth since they were in high school.

There was no way they were the same people as when they were 17, but they'd grown together over the years, and they still fit together like two puzzle pieces.

Percy mulled over these thoughts as Frank and Hazel exchanged rings, and then that was that — they were married. It blew his mind. They were young, sure, but he'd known them when they were all 14, and now they were married adults. That was insane.

Cheers and applause echoed around the banquet hall as Frank twirled Hazel around and kissed her, both of them smiling madly.

It was another hour before Percy actually got to speak to either of them. Hazel had ditched her veil and put her hair up into a ponytail weaved with flowers, and the newlyweds were making rounds to greet the guests.

After they passed the tables with their families, Hazel raced over to them, her eyes sparkling delightedly as she took in the sight of them all in the same place.

"Oh my God, you guys have no idea how good it is to see you!" she gushed, giving Nico a hug. They exchanged a few whispered words of congratulations, sharing a smile.

Percy swept Hazel up into a hug, practically lifting her off her feet. "You're still tiny, Hazel. That hasn't changed."

She hit him on the arm with a glare. "You have to be nice to me today. I'm paying for your dinner."

Percy gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "I'm seriously happy for you, Hazel. You have no idea." He stepped around her to give Frank a hug.

Frank was beaming. "Percy!" He clapped him on the back before he withdrew, his eyes wide. "I can't stop smiling. My cheeks hurt but it's like I can't even control them anymore."

Percy chuckled. "Okay, Frank."

He turned around to see Hazel approach Leo, who was still looking slightly lost and speechless.

"Ah," Hazel realised. "You saw Calypso."

"Did you know she would be here?" Leo spluttered. "And you didn't give me any warning?"

"We thought it'd be a nice surprise," Hazel said innocently, a glint in her eye that said otherwise. "The music company we were recommended had her in it. I thought; why not?"

Leo dived behind her suddenly, crouching. "Oh my God, she looked over. Did she see me? Did she see me?"

Piper crossed her arms. "You know, this would be funny if it wasn't so sad. Leo, just go up to her. Nothing's stopping you."

"What if she says 'no'?" Leo demanded.

Piper flapped her arms impatiently. "You'll never see her again!" she reminded exasperatedly. "Go, Leo!"

Six urging stares seemed to finally convince Leo. He slowly left their high school semi-reunion to walk up to Calypso, repeating a mantra under his breath.