It All Started With The New Students... And The Murder

Chapter 31 : Three Funerals and a Funeral

Percy's POV

Percy sat in his car, rain pouring outside, with Reyna's head resting on his shoulder.

The past few days had been torture for the two and Nico, and Percy knew that Nico was in no shape to go to another funeral.

Unfortunately for the little Italian boy, his father was an undertaker, and he was also in charge of the funeral services for Bianca, Zoë and Grover.

"I never thought I'd have to bury my best friend." Percy mumbled, though he knew he wasn't going to get an answer from Reyna, as she'd fallen asleep. "At least not until much, much later in our lives."

He hoped the rain would clear in the next 30 minutes, before he'd have to wake Reyna and go to watch Grover get lowered into his grave.

It was the last funeral for both Reyna and Nico, as they'd already buried Bianca and Zoë, but Percy knew that he still had to go with Travis and Leo to grandma Stoll's funeral.

Bianca's funeral had been very quiet, as she was very new to the Navy. Only Percy, Reyna, Nico and Artemis attended, along with Percy and Nico's fathers.

Percy had dealt with the first two funerals in the only way he knew how to on his own, as Reyna had gone to Thalia and Nico was with Will.

He went into the forest and trained. He trained until he couldn't move without causing himself immense pain, and then he kept on training, running through the trees, climbing up them and sliding back down.

But Percy was not sure how he was going to deal with Grover's funeral. It was most definitely going to be the toughest one on him, but he couldn't go back to the woods, they reminded him too much of his tree loving friend.

Grover had always told him that when he died, he'd turn into a plant, and if he was lucky, he'd turn into a laurel. Perhaps Percy would go and look for a plant that represented his old friend when the funeral was over.

Percy's mind flashed back to Zoë's funeral earlier that day.

Flashback—————

Percy looked around the military cemetery. He was staggered by how many people had shown up to Zoë's funeral.

He knew that Zoë had been a great leader and sailor, but he had no idea how important she truly was.

He didn't recognise everyone, but he saw Artemis standing next to Hylla, as well as his and Nico's fathers, and some Navy officers he remembered, but didn't know the name of.

As Artemis was handed the folded flag, Percy could tell she was holding in tears, putting on her brave face, the same she had worn when they watched Zoë fall to the ground and die in her arms.

Next to Artemis, Hylla wore an unreadable expression, which annoyed Percy slightly, as he desperately wanted to know what she was thinking. After all, she was at the funeral of her girlfriend's ex, and soulmate.

Zoë's casket was slowly lowered into the grave, and Percy grabbed one of Nico's and one of Reyna's hands for support, not just support for himself, but also to support them both.

When the funeral finished, Artemis walked over to them, Hylla still by her side.

"Thank you, all three of you. Bianca, Z- Zoë, they deserved this, and so does your friend Grover. We will be there as well." Artemis said, her voice cracking slightly.

"Why don't you two take Artemis to our car, I would like to have a word with Percy." Hylla asked Reyna and Nico, though it seemed more like an order. "I'll catch up later." She promised Artemis."