Seeking Happiness

"I just love a good wedding! It was SO beautiful! Wasn't it beautiful Jace? Jason? Are you even listening?" He in fact was not listening, and judging by the look on his face he had not been listening for quite some time now.

I wove my fingers in between his as we walked back to the cabins. The reception had just ended and like the natural gentleman he is he offered to walk me. But I could tell something was bothering him. I pulled him to a stop, "What's wrong?" He slowly lifted his eyes from his feet to meet mine, "I've just been thinking... about New Rome. Don't get me wrong, I think camp halfblood is great, but it doesn't really offer anything for demigods after they start their lives you know." I gave him a knowing smile, "Are you thinking about Annabeth and Percy... or about us?"

He led me over to a bench overlooking the lake, "It started out as about them, what with them getting married and having kids. But the more I thought about it the more I fit us into that puzzle. Eventually we're going to want to start a family, and I never thought I would get that opportunity anywhere other than New Rome." I gave his hand a good squeeze, "You know we could fix that. I'm sure the campers here would love to have those opportunities. The Athena cabin could be in charge of plans and blueprints. The Hephaestus cabin could be in charge of building it. The Aphrodite and Apollo cabins could be in charge of furnishing and such. We could call it New Greece."

He laughed, "No, not New Greece... how but Elysium. I mean that's the ultimate dream anyways right?" I gave him a kiss on the cheek and laid my head down onto his shoulder, "Sounds perfect to me."

I could tell his mood had softened. It must have really troubled him to try think about a future without having definite plans. I was relieved that he was having those same problems because I had been to embarrassed to say anything but I had been feeling the same way for months now. And I know Annabeth and Percy do too, they definitely don't want to live and raise their children in cabin three, but they also don't think they're ready to leave camp.

"This is going to be fun!" He nodded, but his eyes looked sad again. "What is it this time?" He eyebrows pinched together, the way they only do when he's fighting tears. It's rare to see his tough roman exterior crack, and show whats underneath. "It's just... this would be something that.... that Leo would have been all over you know. He would have been off making blueprints and little models at just the suggestion." His roman exterior hadn't just cracked, it had shattered. Tears spilled down his cheeks, yet he still looked beautiful, he still looked like the strongest person I had ever met.

"Don't worry we'll make him proud, I know we will." He nodded and kissed my forehead. I looked out to the sun sitting over the lake. The sun had just barley touched the water, it's tendrils reaching out. It looked like the sun had melted into the water, its liquid gold spreading around in strange patterns. The sky was a mix of pinks and purples. The ending to yet another day, another day that we have survived. The sun was just a symbol for hope, it tells us in the morning that we were lucky enough to be alive another day. In the afternoon, it reminds us of life's simple beauty. It reminds us that within the many hours since we awoke that morning we have managed to remain alive in a world that doesn't care if we live or die. It also reminds us that with every sunset, comes peace, followed by yet another sunrise. "It's beautiful." This time he answers, "Yes, very Beautiful."

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