Straight from The Pits of Tartarus

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! And no, I am not going to give you a speech, of how I love you all, because I can't do that. Instead I have written you guys a happy oneshot (which should show how much I love you guys, since I don't do happy)with the help of Chilea (thank gods) and travestiously (who wrote half of the dialogue). So yeah. Enjoy your happy one-shot and have a great new year!

It was New Year's Eve and the seven demigods was holding their monthly 'reunion' at Piper's house. They had just been inside, eating a delicious dinner cooked by a french cook, and drunk some sodas. And now had the time come, that everybody had been waiting for. Or nearly everyone.

Because in the back of the crowd of friends, which rushed out of the building, a girl stood, her kaleidoscope eyes filled with worry and her face pale. Fear filled her chest, but yet the girl didn't scream, as she wanted to. Instead she continued over to the door with heavy footsteps.

The door got forced open and soon a cold wind hit her, making her shiver slightly, and make bad memories stir. She really hoped those wouldn't become reality tonight.

A hand touched her's gently. "Freezing?" Jason asked.

She nodded, afraid that her voice would give her away, the real reason she was shivering.

Jason gave her hand a squeeze. "Don't worry, You will forget about it when you see the fireworks."

Yeah, but not for the better, she thought sadly.

She tried with a laugh, that sounded weak even in her own ears. "What, Sparky? Aren't you going to give me your jacket, or something?"

Jason grinned. "I would have given it to you, if it wasn't because I kinda needed it myself."

A real laugh escaped her lips, and for a moment she completely forget where they were going. "Don't be so selfish," she fake scolded.

Jason gave her a sheepish smile, "Sorry, Beauty Queen."

"Yeah, that's right!" Leo mocked. "Bow to your Queen, Jason."

Frank crossed his arms. "As if you aren't doing the same with Calypso," he pointed out.

Leo sighed, "Let's just start the show."

Frank grinned. "Sure, if that's how you are going to avoid that topic. Then sure."

Leo muttered something under his breath, and started to set up the fireworks.

"Okay, guys, back away." Annabeth instructed, and started walking to a spot of her backyard, that was two meters away from the firework or so. Piper followed her, eager after coming so far away as the firework as possible.

And finally they stood together in a small of mass of people, all of them staring excitingly as the spot where the fireworks stood.

Piper herself, had placed her in the back of the crowd, anxious rising in her chest. Were this far away enough from the fireworks? What if one of the fireworks in the battery shot the wrong way? What if Leo did something wrong? What if the firework didn't fly up into the sky? What if it hit Leo?

Pictures from the terrible night for ten years ago, rushed through Piper's head. Screams echoed in her ears, and the smell of burned flesh filled her lungs. A shiver went through her. "Shouldn't we be a meter more away?" she asked in a small voice.

Percy shook his head, his eyes fixed at the horizont, "No, this should be safe enough."

She gulped. "Great."

"Ready?" Leo shouted across the yard.

"Yeah," Hazel shouted back, her voice filled with restrained excitement.

"Firing the first one!" Leo reported, then he lit up his finger, and set the fuse on fire.

Fear filled Piper's chest, and she squeezed Jason hand, her arm shaking. The fire came closer and closer on the rocket, and it was soon going to be fired. Her eyes were fixed at the firework, and suddenly it flew through the air. She took against her will two steps back, wanting to get so far away from it as possible. Her body tensed, waiting to get hit. Nothing happened, and a terrifying bang! cut through the silence, making Piper jump a bit more back. The sky got filled with colors, and all of her friends let out a gasp of awe.

Except Jason who looked back at her, a confused look in his eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked, knitting his brows slightly.

"I-I'm fine." she said, her voice shaking slightly.

But now the others had noticed her reaction too.

"You're--" Leo choked out with laughter. "You're scared of fireworks!"

"No! I am not!" She protested, her face flushing red. "I just took two steps back because I didn't want to be hit by the sparks!"

"Sure," Percy commented, stifling laughter.

Jason smiled slightly, his blue eyes sparkling with amusement. "You were holding my hand pretty tight." he pointed out.

"I thought you were supposed to be helping," she said, sending him a begging look..

Jason shrugged careless. "I can't hide the truth."

Annabeth crossed her arms, and send Piper a suspicious look, barely being able to hide the smile. "So how can it be you that you weren't afraid on the 4th of July at Camp?"

"I don't know," She answered truthfully. "Maybe it's because it was from a distant."

Then she realized what she had admitted, and tried to cover it with her next words. "Or maybe because I'm not!"

Frank snorted. "Of course you aren't."

"Guys, don't be rude--if she has a fear and is too scared to admit it, fine," Hazel said, even though she too was smiling of the situation.

"I am not scared! For Zeus sake!" Piper shouted, anger radiating from her. "Just aware of the danger from fireworks!"

"Told you," Leo whispered loudly.

Percy laughed. "I still don't get how the 'almighty' Piper McLean, that fought off Khione singlehanded, is scared of fireworks!"

"I don't get how the 'almighty' Annabeth is scared of spiders!" She argued back.

"Hey!" Annabeth protested. "It's because of my Mom. Okay? Logical explanation. What's yours?"

"Because my nanny when I was six almost died because of a firework on the 4th of July." Piper said her voice shivering of remembering that night.

"Ha!" Leo said. "You are scared of fireworks!"

"Oh, pull your shit together," Piper snapped, starting to get enough of it.

"Should we stop firing firework?" Jason offered.

Yes, she thought, closing her eyes as another firework went off. As she opened her eyes, she saw her friends laughing and smile at the fireworks, arms around each other, creating memories that would last a lifetime. Piper hesitated, then shook her head. "No, it's okay."

These fireworks, as much as she feared them, brought people together. It strengthened relationships and put meaningful moments behind such a simple occasion. And instead of letting her fear take over her emotions, she embraced the love that was being emitted into the air.

"Are you sure?" Jason stared back at her, blue eyes twinkling under the fireworks.

She nodded. "Always."

And there they stood, in the cold afternoon, a group of friend, going in the new year, filled with love and happiness. Because when you were together, fear was nothing.