Chapter Text
Katie didn’t know where anyone was. She was running through the mayhem, pulling branches down around her, wiping out any monster that dared cross into her field of vision. What used to be the capture the flag clearing was now a real life battle ground. There were sounds of metal clashing and violent monster jeers blurring past her as she fought her way through the field. She lost track of her friends, everyone slitting up to fall into the battle formations that they had spent weeks of camp learning. She could hear Lou Ellen’s voice, shouting spells somewhere and she could’ve sworn she’d seen the Stoll’s signature brown curls in two different places. In the chaos she couldn’t tell which was which or if it had been the same one twice, but they’d been separated, which made an uneasy feeling flood Katie’s chest. Travis and Connor worked better as a team, if they’d made the choice to separate then the campers were unfathomably out numbered.
“Katie, on your right!” Someone shouted.
She whirled around, a cyclops was barreling towards her, its wooden club swinging for her head. She dove away, rolling head first and coming to her knees, pulling the short sword from her belt. The club swung again, but the sound of wood hitting metal echoed as she blocked the blow. She was on her feet fast, jumping toward the creature. Her sword met its target, spraying her with yellow monster guts as the cyclops disappeared.
“Gross.” She muttered, before taking off again.
She sent a sharp root through a giant, strangled an ugly Telekhine with vines and slashed more than one traitorous demigod avoiding kill shots, but making sure they’d be out of the battle. Katie ducked as a fire ball flew over her head, watching as it hit a tree behind her but the fire was quickly put out by a passing Percy. The monsters seemed to be multiplying, for every one she took out 2 more seemed to take her place. A familiar voice screamed in front of her, she rushed forward to find Gracie being lifted by her blonde hair by an Ares boy who’d left camp when Luke had. Without a second thought, Katie raised her sword over her head, flinging it over her head. It found its home in the boy's stomach. Gracie crumpled to the floor and the boy swore loudly, collapsing next to her. Katie was at Gracie’s side in a second, shoving the traitor to the side and retrieving her sword.
“Are you okay?” Katie asked, pulling Gracie to her feet.
“All good.” Gracie spun, unleashing an arrow at a monster that started toward them, “I’m gonna have a wicked headache but I’ll live. You?”
They were back to back now, working together to unleash hell on the enemies around them.
“Got a hilt to the forehead and I think it’s bleeding, but all good otherwise.” Katie’s sword found another target, sending ash flying as the monster disappeared.
“Do you know where anyone is?” Gracie asked, letting another arrow fly.
“No, I heard Lou Ellen a little bit ago,” she rooted another demigod to the ground, “and I saw one of the Stolls, not sure which, they split up. And Percy and Annabeth are fighting Kampe. You?”
They moved left, crossing into the tree line. Greek fire was eating the forest, the Naiads fighting to put it out.
“Hannah’s with Silena and Beckendorf at the catapults and I saw a Stoll too, pretty sure it was Connor.”
Katie tried not to focus on the fact that neither of them had seen her siblings or Travis. They were fine, they could hold their own, anything else wasn’t acceptable.
“Duck!” Gracie said, and Katie dropped. Three arrows flew over her head, all three sinking into an oncoming Emposa.
“I think we gotta split up.” Katie said, sending sharp roots flying.
“Yeah, gotta cover more ground, we’re outnumbered. Bad.” Gracie said, catching Katie’s eyes, “Love you, good luck.”
“Love you.” Katie said as Gracie ran off.
Katie continued to fight her way through hordes of monsters, taking a knife to her left arm in the process. She felt the blood dripping down her fingers, but there was too much adrenaline in her body to feel it. Someone was shouting her name, she turned, eyes focusing on Travis. A weight left her shoulders. He was fine, bloody but fine. But then she saw the giant he was running from, the dread came back in a nauseating wave, Travis had no visible weapons.
“Travis!” Katie started toward him, weaving through the chaos. She was almost to him when the ground beneath her feet rumbled, the giant threw a boulder, sending Katie and Travis flying through the air. She landed on her feet, but pain shot through her leg. White spots danced in her vision when she put her weight on it, but she had no other choice. She once again sent her sword flying, it met the giant ribs with a satisfying squish, ichor and ash exploded everywhere, completely drenching Katie head to toe. With the immediate threat eliminated and her sword retrieved, she whirled around, trying to catch sight of Travis again.
“Travis!” Katie’s voice sounded rough, her throat burned from the smoke around her.
“Katie!” He was further away, but she couldn’t see him. Panic grew as she realized how hard she was fighting to keep her eyes focused. Maybe the hit to her head was more serious than she thought. “Katie, over here!”
There he was, picking himself off the ground to her left. He was in one piece, but about 20 feet away from her. He rushed toward her, but it was no use. Travis had only taken a few steps when he was yanked backward, an enemy demi-god pulling him from behind. Without a weapon, Travis had no chance, in no time the other demi-god had shoved his dagger deep in Travis’ shoulder. Katie screamed and surged forward. NO NO NO HE CAN’T DIE. She was too slow, she couldn’t get to him. His face flooded with pain as he shoved his enemy away, the dagger ripped out of his shoulder, blood bloomed across his orange camp shirt. She tried to speed up, but her ankle wouldn’t allow it. His panicked eyes found her, just in time for her to watch them roll to the back of his head before he collapsed in a heap.
“NO!” She screeched, but the sound died in her throat as the world around her exploded and everything went black.
Travis is dead. Katie woke with a start, a blanket falling to the side as she sat up. The world spun around her, she was gonna be sick.
“Hey, no!” Will’s voice was gentle next to her. “Katie you have to lay down.”
A bucket was shoved into her hands as everything she had eaten that day made a reappearance.
“You have a concussion,” Will said after she had recovered. “Aiden should be coming around with ambrosia but there’s a lot of people down and last I checked we had to break into the emergency stash.”
“What happened?” Katie’s voice was coarse.
“Percy did it.” Will smiled, “We’re okay.”
“Where’s Travis?” Katie tried to sit up again, “I saw- I think-”
“Goddammit Katie, you’re gonna rip your stitches. Lay down.” Will insisted, gently holding her down.
“No, no, no. I have to-” Katie was starting to panic. He can’t be dead, she had to find him. “Have you seen Travis?”
“No but they're still searching the-” Katie pushed Will back, swinging her legs off the cot.
Will reached for her again but she pushed him away, struggling to stand, she was barefoot and her left ankle was tightly wrapped. She didn’t have time for shoes anyway. She had to find Travis.
“Katie wait-” Will started, but she was already gone.
He wasn’t in the infirmary. About 8 Apollo kids tried to get her to stop as she searched, but she was an unstoppable force. Katie found the camp in shambles as she stumbled out of the overcrowded building. Her vision was focusing and unfocusing as she limped toward the dining pavilion. The pain didn’t matter, she had to make sure she would get to talk to him again. But he wasn’t at the pavilion. Katie felt her stomach clench, there were only so many places he could be, and he was not allowed to be dead. Big house? No luck, only a stern look from Chiron. Bathrooms? Nothing. Hermes cabin? Empty. Camp store? Locked, no one was there.
Katie was starting to panic, the more and more she searched and came up with nothing the more she wanted to cry. Was he really dead? Where were they keeping the bodies? Did she really want to see him like that? She was hyperventilating by the time the bleachers around the fire pit came into view, if he wasn’t there then there was only one answer. Tears slid down her face, making the world around her blur. Please, mom. Let him be alive. He can’t be dead. I need him alive. I can’t lose him. He needs to know.
Then, through the haze of concussion and tears, she saw them. Two heads, signature curly brown hair pointing in every direction. But one was a half an inch taller. One was talking with his left hand. One was wearing the same green converse that he always wore. It could be someone else. It didn’t matter, Katie took off running, tears of pain and joy and fear running down her cheeks faster and faster.
“Katie!” Someone said, possibly Lou Ellen, but Katie didn’t care. She had tunnel vision.
He looked up only a second before she was crashing into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He didn’t hesitate before he wrapped his arms around her.
“Wooooaaaahhh,” He said, not letting her go, “Gardner you should be in bed, what are you doing here?”
“I had to find you.” Katie was still crying, now mostly in relief. He was alive. He was alive and fine and breathing and hugging her so tight it hurt.
“You have a concussion KG.” He released her and took a step back, “You can’t be up you have to-”
“I thought you were dead!” She smacked his arm. “I watched you die!” Her voice was getting louder.
“No, I’m-” He started, but she cut him off, by hitting him again.
Suddenly she was so mad. Mad that he had almost died. Mad that she almost lost him. Mad that Luke was doing this to them. Mad at herself for not getting to him before he got hurt. Mad at everything. The single smacks turned into repeatedly pounding on his chest.
“Im-” Punch.
“So-” Punch
“Mad-” Two fists pounding.
“At-” Pound.
“You!” Pound.
“Katie, stop-” He swatted unsuccessfully.
“No!” Punch, punch.
“I. Thought. I. Lost. You.” A punch for each word.
“Katie!” He was trying to push her away, “Katie, stop! You’re gonna hurt yourself.”
She was sobbing, uncontrollably, unstoppably. He was here. He was safe. Her punches had no power now, she was crying so hard that she didn’t have the will power to maintain the strength of her punches. Once he managed to get ahold of her arm he pulled her toward him, wrapping his arms around her again. He let her sob into his chest, holding her tighter.
“It’s okay, Katie.” Travis’ voice was soft. “I’m okay. I’m right here.”
He’s alive.
“We’re right here. You and me.” He was whispering into her hair. He pushed her back about 3 inches, eyes locking to hers, “You didn’t lose me. I’m right here.”
“I was so scared.” Katie whispered. “I didn’t- I-”
“I know.” He nodded, using his thumbs to wipe tears from her cheeks. “I’m okay.”
He looked so concerned, a line forming in between his eyebrows. He was really okay. He was alive and he was standing very close to her. His hands were warm on her elbows, proof that his blood was flowing like it should be. She didn’t lose him. All of his focus was on her, looking at her like she was the only other person in the world. Gods I love him. She wasn’t scared of whatever unspoken thing they were. “You’re Katie and Travis.” Miranda had said, and she was right. They were Katie and Travis and they were both alive and safe.
Katie shifted forward onto her tip-toes, pulling him towards her by his shirt. She kissed him hard, and she meant it in every fiber of her being. He didn’t hesitate to kiss her back. And it was perfect. Her heart was exploding, her stomach butterflies were fluttering away, and the world was spinning around them. Shit. No, the world was just spinning. Katie’s knees buckled, breaking the kiss, her head was pounding. Travis caught her before she collapsed.
“Shit, your stitches.” He said, “You’re bleeding, Will’s gonna kill me.”
“I’m oka-” Katie started, but the world pitched. She squeezed her eyes shut. She felt like she was gonna pass out.
“No, I need to get you back to the infirmary.” Travis scooped her up with surprising ease with his injured shoulder. Holding her close to his chest.
“I meant it, you know.” She whispered, eyes still closed.
“We’ll talk about it when you’re better.” He said softly.
“But I did mean it.” Katie insisted.
“Good, I meant it too.” He planted a soft kiss between her eyebrows.
“Good.” She put her head on his shoulder.
“And on that note.” Connor announced, Katie had forgotten he was there. “A lot of people owe me a lot of money!”