Disclaimer: don't own squat!

It was in the year 2030 when she first saw him again. A lot of things had changed around her, but she hadn't.

Percy and Annabeth, who were in their late 30s, were instructors at Camp- and did what Mr. D no longer wanted to do; he couldn't wait to get out in a few years. Percy and Annabeth had who kids- a girl with curly black hair and grey eyes, and a little boy with blonde hair and eyes as green as the sea.

Grover was out in the world a little less, because he couldn't leave Juniper. Nico was working for his father, but he pretty much spent all his time at camp. He was dating a fiery little daughter of Apollo. Her name was Sadie, and she was the kind of girl Thalia liked, with the random colored streaks in her caramel colored hair and her combat boots.

But Thalia hadn't changed a bit. She was still the 15 year old, punk-styled, immortal lieutenant to Artimis in the summer of 2030, when the Hunters were staying at Camp Half-Blood.

His name was Joshua Wright, son of Hades, but that was not who he was. Thalia could tell he was Luke, even through his black hair and dark eyes. It was in the shape of his smile, the way he carried himself, the way he could steal and prank as well as any of the Hermes Cabin, the way he was the best sword fighter at Camp- sometimes even better than Percy- even though he had only just turned 14, the way he paused when he went near Thalia's Pine; like he was trying to remember forgotten memories.

For the whole summer, she never spoke to him. Only Annabeth noticed what was wrong whenever Thalia turned form the loudest person in the room to a quiet observer when Joshua came near. But she knew enough not to say anything. She too realized it was Luke

But one cool night in the beginning of August, Thalia was sitting on the beach. She couldn't sleep in the Artimis Cabin, but she was afraid to enter the Zeus Cabin. She was afraid of old memories.

She heard a rustle of sand behind her, and instinctively grabbed her knife. She was very aware of the cleaning harpies.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down! It's just me."

Luke's voice, she thought. She turned around to see Joshua glancing hesitantly form her face to the knife in her hand. She sighed and let it drop, turning back to the ocean.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked as he sat down next to her. She just shrugged. "Me neither."

"Why?" she asked him.

"Didn't you hear about the quest?" he sighed when she shook her head, still staring out at sea, refusing to look at him. "Hey, I'll leave go. You seem upset, I'll leave you alone."

"No, its fine," she glanced up at him, then away again. "You… you just remind me of someone I once knew… someone who died in the Battle of Olympus."

"Oh, I'm sorry. You must have really loved him; you seem pretty torn up."

"W-what? N-no, I-"

"Oh yeah, you're a Huntress, aren't you? That would explain how you lost someone dear to you 20 years ago but you look 15."

"He was a traitor," she managed to spit out. "He betrayed me- betrayed all of us. I hate him!" She hurled a nearby rock into the ocean to relieve some of the stress.

They both sat in silence for a few moments.

"Is that why you joined the Hunters? Because of him?"

The silence continued when she refused to answer. She didn't know how long had passed before he spoke again.

"Well, I should probably get some sleep before we leave in a few hours. See you later." He stood up and began to walk away. He had only gone a few steps when he turned around.

"Hey, Thalia?" She glanced up at him, and maybe it was just her imagination, but she didn't see a dark-haired, dark-eyed boy. But a young boy, maybe 12, with blonde hair, sharp features, and mischievous blue eyes. His face was unmarred by a scar. He continued, "have you ever thought that maybe he didn't know he was betraying you? That he did what he did because he couldn't live with himself because he thought your death was all his fault? And that he just had to get your death avenged; just had to do something right for once? That he loved you and missed you and thought he was doing what you would've wanted him to do? But then he lost it, and it snowballed out of control, and he almost killed you again."

With that he turned, and the raven-haired son of Hades walked away.

Thalia just sat there, her mouth slightly agape, unsure of what to do. She knew somehow it had been Luke talking to her, but was it just that moment or did he still remember? She sat pondering this, and soon she fell asleep.

Thalia woke up when the sun was high in the sky. She went looking for Joshua, but apparently he had already left.

Thalia spent the days until they returned normally, but all the while wondering what she would say to him when he returned.

0_0

The questors came back during the campfire some night a week or so later. Thalia watched them as they approached, but immediately noticed that something was wrong. There were only two, instead of the traditional three. They were both girls; Joshua was not with them. Bothe girls' eyes were red from crying, and one started sobbing when a camper asked where Joshua was.

After a while, they told their story. Thalia only heard bits and pieces, but she gathered that Joshua had died while trying to save the girl who was sobbing. She was his girlfriend and he had taken a knife for her.

"He died a hero's death," they said. "You know Josh, he'll try for Elysium."

Didn't they know he already had?

His burial shroud was burned in black flames. Joshua had been popular at camp- everyone thought he was a funny, lighthearted kid, especially for a son of Hades.

Thalia didn't know what to think. It was good he was gone, wasn't it? He was Luke, he was a traitor. She tried hard to convince herself.

Annabeth saw what was going on in Thalia's mind. Annabeth; who used be like Thalia's little sister, was now old enough to be her mother. Who was also affected by Luke.

"Don't worry," she whispered to Thaila. "You know the Fates, I might not, but you'll see him again. It could take for every, so you got a while to make up your mind about where you stand with him."

So as the last flames licked Joshua Wright's Burial shroud, Thalia whispered to Luke:

"I'll be waiting."

And she might have even heard an:

"I'll find you, where ever your path may lead…"

So whaddya think? (sorry for typos, I'm too lazy to reread it!)

Sorry for the Nicadie reference in there. I hate Thalico but I love Nicadie.

Sorry for those who are expecting an update on Tatters. :/

This is not a one shot; there will probably be 2 more chapters.

Reviews make me update faster. Think about it?