the great wave | percy jackson

𝑥𝑥𝑖𝑥 - asphodel

She couldn't have been out for more than a couple seconds. When she came to, she was slumped over Jason's chest, and her ears were ringing like crazy and her vision wasn't exactly right, but the first thing she noticed was that his heart wasn't beating.

"Oh gods, oh no," she blubbered, not needing to see or think clearly to check his vitals and start compressions on his chest, occasionally leaning down to give him air without blinking once, because there was absolutely nothing fucking romantic or weird about this mouth-to-mouth contact except the fact that he was dying, of course, that was pretty goddamn weird.

The others had recovered and were beginning to gather around them when she slammed her hand down frustratedly on his chest and gave up, allowing Piper to take him into her lap as she buried her head in her hands and sobbed. The brunette girl called his name softly, broken-heartedly, but it was no use--he'd been gone for nearly two minutes by then, eyes rolled back in his head and body steaming, and Ash felt him reach the point of no return. She barely registered Thalia's entrance; defrosted but still-shivering, the girl knelt beside them and her brother, laying a hand on Jason's forehead.

Thalia choked out an angry cry as Hera came to stand over them, glaring up at the goddess with bloodshot eyes. "This is your fault. Do something!"

Although the goddess' face was painted with regret, she still sneered pridefully. "Do not address me that way, girl. I am the queen–"

Thalia simply did not care. "Fix him!"

Hera's eyes flickered with power. "It is no use, child. I did warn him. I would never intentionally hurt the boy. He was to be my champion. I told them to close their eyes before I revealed my true form."

Ash couldn't even bring herself to say anything, curling up into a ball and burying her head between her knees, Jason was fucking dead, she could barely believe it but it was true, and this was just like Bianca and she couldn't do a thing about it...

"Um..." Leo was frowning. "True form is bad, right? So why did you do it?"

"I unleashed my power to help you, fool!" Hera cried indignantly. "I became pure energy so I could disintegrate the monsters, restore this place, and even save these miserable Hunters from the ice."

"But mortals can't look upon you in that form!" Thalia shouted. "You've killed him!"

Ash looked up, eyes swimming with tears. "That's what our prophecy meant. Death unleash through Hera's rage."

Leo's jaw tightened, shaking his head in dismay and disbelief. "Come on, lady. You're a goddess! Do some voodoo magic on him, bring him back!"

Piper was still whispering to Jason, calling his name, telling him to wake up, and just as Ash was gathering the strength to lay a hand on her shoulder and pull her away the strangest thing happened.

"I cannot–" Hera was saying, but Ash raised a hand and yelled "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Although choking on indignant rage, Hera actually did, a warning glare from Thalia helping her along a bit. For a second, everybody froze.

Then: "He's breathing!" Piper gasped and Ash scrambled forward, taking his face in her hands and turning it every which way, checking his pulse and putting her ear to his chest. No heartbeat still, but there was something there, she knew it.

"Piper, do it again," she urged.

"Impossible," Hera said. "I wish it were true, child, but no mortal has ever–"

"I thought I told you to–"

"Jason," Piper spoke over the other two, voice firm and strong. "Listen to me. You can do this. Come back. You're going to be fine."