Splashing cold water on his face, Luke finally got hold of himself. He was still the head counselor of Cabin Eleven, after all. His presence was needed. Just as he decided he'd spent enough time overthinking, someone crashed into his chest. Luke blinked. Chris Rodriguez. His younger paternal half-brother had his arms wrapped tightly around Luke, face buried in his shirt. "...Chris, you good?" A broken sob answered him. Okay. Who did he have to kill? Ugh. Old habits die hard. "Lu—" A hiccup. "...Luke..." Another sniffle. "Hey, hey. Take your time, okay?" Chris only cried harder, soaking Luke's orange shirt. "...Did you have a bad dream?" No answer. Luke looked toward a passing unclaimed camper. "Please inform Chiron that I'll be late." The camper nodded and hurried away. Luke looked back at Chris. "Whatever happened in that dream is fake. I'm here. You're here with me, okay?" He gently pulled Chris away and wiped his tears. "But—" "Hic—you're dead, Luke!" Luke froze. "And there wasn't even a body for me to bury!" His chest tightened. "...How did I die?" Chris took a shaky breath. "Annabeth and Percy said you stabbed yourself to stop him from taking complete control of your body." Oh. Oh, shit. Chris was back too. Luke swallowed. He knew how dangerous it was to remember everything, but part of him was relieved he wasn't alone. "...Well, that's what I thought after I put the dagger into my Achilles heel—" "Ow." Luke blinked. "Hey—" "You're such a bastard!" Chris hit his chest before breaking into tears again. "There, there. I don't know how, but we're back now." They stayed quiet for a while until two familiar faces approached. "Yo, Master Luke." Alabaster stood there with his usual smug smile, one hand firmly intertwined with Ethan's. "Nice seeing you eye to eye again." Luke stared at Ethan. "...You have your eye back." "Yes." "Both eyes?" "Yes, Luke." Chris snorted. Luke looked at him. "What?" "Nothing." Alabaster grinned. "We figured it out this morning." Ethan pointed at Chris. "Our smart-mouthed youngest gave it away." "Don't call me that." "You know what he said when he saw me?" Chris covered his face. "Ethan..." Ethan smiled. "'Ethan, since when did you get your eye back?'" Luke burst out laughing. "It was an inside thought!" Chris protested. "I accidentally said it out loud!" "Still doesn't explain how you're sure I'm actually me," Luke said. "That's why I came to you first," Alabaster replied. "If you had no idea what was happening, I could've brushed it off as a bad dream." Luke raised an eyebrow. "Wow. Since when did Chris become such a little shit?" Chris kicked his leg. "Ow!" "So the tears were fake?" "You jerk!" Chris glared at him. "How dare you suggest I'd fake crying over your death." "Sorry, sorry, sorry for being stupid enough to suggest that." Ethan smiled faintly. "I almost forgot what you were like before the nightmare." At least he didn't say pre-trauma. Pre-trauma Luke was probably seven-year-old Luke. Guess he'd have to stay alive for now. Alabaster squeezed Ethan's hand. "Oh, and also..." He exchanged a look with Ethan. "...I believe Allison and Silene are here too." Luke's expression changed. "Allison and Silene?" "Four of us are here. Why can't they be?" Alabaster shrugged. "Maybe all the roots of the problem were sent back to fix things. Or, who knows, destroy them." Luke's stomach dropped. Roots of the problem? You mean me? "I know what you're thinking," Alabaster said quietly. "But believe us when we say it's our decision to join you." Luke swallowed. After everything they'd remembered, they were still choosing to stand beside him. "...Okay." He glanced toward the cabins. "Let's find them." Chris nodded. The group made their way through camp, checking the cabins and scanning every passing camper. "What if they're not here?" Chris asked quietly. "Then we keep looking." They reached the cabins near the edge of camp when Ethan suddenly stopped. "Wait." Everyone turned. Ethan pointed toward the path ahead. Two familiar figures stood near the trees. Luke's breath caught. One was Allison. The other was Silene. For a moment, nobody moved. Then Allison looked up. Her eyes widened. "Luke?" Luke could only stare. Silene turned toward him, her expression changing from confusion to shock. "...No way." Chris gave a tiny wave. "Hi." Silene's eyes widened even more. "Chris?" Alabaster smiled. "Told you." Luke finally found his voice. "Looks like we're not the only ones who got a second chance." He looked at everyone around him. Whatever had brought them back, they weren't going to waste it. "Come on. We're already late." Chris groaned. "Chiron is going to kill us." Ethan shrugged. "Technically, some of us have already died." Everyone stared at him. "...Too soon?" "Definitely too soon." Luke laughed despite himself. Then they headed toward the Big House together.