Finally, he surrendered.

Percy surrendered.

His eyes fled our stare down because for some reason, he felt like he should surrender.

"You're right."

My eyes bulged at this red head who had only recently began to call us family again. I was stunned.

Percy had just admitted that he was wrong.

Percy never said that he was wrong.

"I found something while you were sleeping I think you should see."

He grabbed something from beside him, revealing it to be a leather book. The book was coming apart at the seams, pages were sticking out of the cover, and it looked like it had just escaped a fire recently. Not to mention the fact that age definitely had a say in its appearance.

I accepted the book gently, not wanting to cause more damage to it. Life Despite Death was written in messy handwriting on the front.

No author. I curiously glanced up at Percy, wondering how he had come by such a mystery novel.

"Where did you get this?"

His grin didn't quite reach his eyes, making for a very haunting picture.

"The restricted section."

My eyes stuck to this stranger inhabiting my brother's body. His face was growing red, matching his hair.

"You, the stuck up ministry boy, snuck into the restricted section after the battle?"

He chuckled slightly, all the red draining when he realized I was impressed.

"I needed a distraction."

His eyes betrayed his guard he had brought back after his momentary surrender. They revealed the sharp sting of losing a boy he had just begun to call brother again. They revealed the hurt from the words I had spat at him. And they revealed all his regret that he would never admit because of his pride.

This boy was possibly as broken as me in this small moment, laying beside all the dead bodies from the battle including Fred.

I wanted to comfort him, to show him that he wasn't alone in his pain. Show him that I was feeling lost, and in pain, and terrified too.

But, I couldn't.