we can make it our day [pink]

Daniel was a mess. And even that was an understatement. He had dark circles under his eyes, his face was pale, and he was but more lanky and skinny than usual. People tried to get him to eat or took him to the Hypnos campers to make him sleep at least a few hours. He was too busy trying to Cress. He had started counting the days she was gone until New Years came. That was the day he had given up. She wasn't coming back, and he felt as useless as possible. He couldn't find Kronos' Camp so it wasn't like he could save her himself.

When Valentine's Day came around, Daniel couldn't even leave his room. It hurt too much to see everyone in love when his love was possibly dead. He tried to go to Chiron about it, but there wasn't much he could do either. No one knew where the camp was, and he certainly couldn't go searching by himself. That would practically be committing suicide. That wouldn't help Cress at all. He had heard there was another big three from the Hera cabin that was missing. No one knew how long she had been missing, and that didn't seem to cause Daniel's anxiousness.

Daniel was sleeping for the first time in forever when someone started baking him furiously. "Daniel get up. Someone that came into the camp borders is calling for your name." The little campers said as she shook him awake. Her last sentence made him jump out of bed immediately. It was the middle of the day, and he was fully dressed. He muttered s thanks to the smaller camp before running out of his cabin to the camp entrance. From where he was, it looked like a big crowd had started to gather and that only made him run faster. He shoved through the crowd not caring that he was pushing everyone. When he got to the front, there he saw Cress, his Cress, on the ground with another girl pulling an arrow out of her hip. They both almost looked as bad as him. Daniel immediately ran to her side and shoved the other girl aside so he could take over. "Cress. I won't let you die. You can't..." He kept muttering under his breath.

Daniel didn't care what the other people were doing. All he cares about was Cress. He wanted to hug her tight and never let her go like she had done when he came back, but he couldn't. The arrow had been taken out of her hip by the other girl. He gave her a quick glance, and she looked pretty bad herself. She was the demi-titan that had been missing, and he couldn't help but think that she didn't look powerful like everyone else made her to be. She was just a girl.

When Cress reached a hand up to touch his face, Daniel couldn't help but let smile back at her. He was about to say I love you back, but her hand dropped. Fear gripped his heart, and he was sure he looked paper than before. He was a son of Apollo; he was supposed to be good at this, but when it was Cress it was different. A moment later he was shoved aside, and a group of his half-siblings picked her up to take her to the infirmary. The girl that came in with Cress helped him up. She looked worse than Cress, and he could only imagine how long she had stayed at Kronos' Camp. She pointed to the streak of blood that Cress had left on his face when she reached to tough his face. He shrugged it off and was about to go follow Cress when she said, "She saved my life. I'll go with you to the infirmary." Daniel wanted to say she'd have to go to the infirmary anyway for her cuts but didn't say anything. He simply nodded his head. When Cress came back, he had expected himself to be happy and practically jumping up and down, but now he just felt dead inside.

Those two weeks that Cress was out were the worst weeks of Daniel's life. Before was bad, but at least there was some hope that she would come back alive. Now here she was, here in camp, and they didn't know whether she was dead or just unconscious. He saw her practically everyday. Sutton, the girl who was stuck in Kronos' Camp with Cress, was there most of the time too. She had said Cress helped her get out of camp and had actually told him the story of how they had escaped. Sutton was there for him when he just wanted to scream and cry at Cressida's bedside. It was safe to say she was practically like a sister to him.

Eventually, the campers in the infirmary told him to leave and go do something. He shouldn't waste his name at the infirmary doing nothing. The only thing he could think of to do was train and practice his powers. His powers managed to get a bit stronger, and Sutton had trained him to become a better fighter. She knew how to handle herself for a girl so fragile. He saw her scars on her back and arms when she wore a tank top while training, and he couldn't help but wince at them. He hoped Cress didn't have any or as many scars as she did.

A week after they told Daniel to get out, the same little girl that told him someone was calling for him, told him that Cress was awake. He was practicing a new move Sutton had told him when the young girl approached him. He had dropped his sword as soon as the words came out of her mouth and sprinted to the infirmary. He was wearing a pair of sneakers, gym shorts, and a tank top when dashed to go see Cress. Sweat made little pieces of his blonde hair stick to his forehead, and his face was a bit red from the heat and working out. When Daniel got there, the infirmary was busy for some reason but he already knew where her bed was. His sneakers made a loud, squeaking halt in front of where her bed was. There Cress was, alive and breathing.

When Cress stood up, Daniel could've sworn it was like a dream. He never thought he'd see her again. He could feel the tears spring to his eyes when she hugged him. It was better that she did something because he felt glued to the ground that he was standing on. He tried to think of something to say as Cress hugged Sutton. "Oh nothing really. I was just teaching Daniel a few new sword moves." Sutton said automatically as if this happened everyday. Sutton smiled at Daniel, encouraging to say something supporting, but he couldn't. After a long pause, Sutton said, "I have to go actually. I wish I could stay longer, but I'm training a Hermes kid. I'll see you later Cress." And just like that, she was gone.

Daniel nervously clenched and unclenched his fists. His ADHD didn't seem to help at all. He had drank a few cups of coffee and now the caffeine was pumping through his veins, making him more anxious and nervous than ever. He took a seat next to Cress on the bed. "What happened?" He inquired, his voice hoarse. That's when he could've sworn his heart cracked, and the tears slipped down his cheeks. Daniel rarely cried, the last time he did cry was when his mom died and that was years ago. Daniel pulled Cress into a tight hug. He didn't know if he was making her wound worse, but at the moment he didn't care. "I thought you were dead." Daniel said into her blonde hair. He never wanted to leave, he just wanted to stay there with Cressida.

It felt so long ago since they had went on their date in the city, but it was probably a few weeks ago. The last few weeks were like hell for Daniel. He had tried to search as much as he could, but people said it was a fruitless task. No one knew where Kronos' Camp was. He had given up after a while, but Cressida was on his mind all the time. He could feel the guilt weighing down on him. Now that she was here, right in front of him, it was like a heavy weight was lifted off his shoulders. He couldn't feel more relieved and he promised himself that that would never happen again as long as he was with her. He held Cress's face in his hand as he kissed her.

He could hear someone clear their throat and Daniel instantly stood up. His cheeks were dry, and he secretly hoped there weren't anymore tears in his eyes. He didn't like it when people saw him cry. The last time he cried was when his mom died, and that was a long time ago. He had only been five years old at the time. "Cressida, you're free to go today. Just come back tomorrow so we can change your bandages." Daniel nodded his head at his half-blood, reassuring him that they were going to come back tomorrow even if he had to drag her. He couldn't have felt more useless then at that moment. His half-siblings could heal practically everything, and Daniel could only heal practically only paper cuts and bruises. He interlocked his fingers with Cressida's when his half-brother left and led her to the exit. "You probably want to change out of your clothes." He said softly to her.

For once, Daniel was glad that Cressida was a daughter of Zeus. Her cabin would be empty due to the few amount of campers. At least they would be alone for a few minutes together. He wasn't sure what they'd do, but all he wanted to do was be alone with Cress.

When they got outside, the sun was shining brightly and sending rays of light across camp. A few fluffy, white clouds dotted the sky here and there. The younger campers were playing soccer and other sports in the courtyard. Daniel still had Cress's hand in his as he led her to her cabin. He didn't know what to say to her. What did you say to someone whom you loved, almost died, and is right here in front of you? It still felt like a dream to him the she was here. He was sure that any moment know he'd wake up sweating and panting. In a minute or two a huge monster would come barreling down the hill and take Cressida fork him like all the other nightmares. They'd all started out like a dream and ended like a night terror.

They arrived at the Zeus cabin, with their big doors looming over them. He gave a small sigh before running a hand through his hair. "I can wait out here if you want. Or I can go..." Daniel said slowly. When he said go, he wasn't sure if he meant get out of her life. Even though most of the guilt was gone when Cress returned, there were some remnants left. He still couldn't help but blame himself for everything that happened to Cressida.

ooc- I FOUND MORE GIFS FOR DANIEL WOO

Daniel noticed that Cress ignored his question. That was a good sign. Looked she still wanted him in her life, and he couldn't help but smile. It had been a while since the last time he smiled. Being here with Cressida made everything seem like it was going to be okay even though they'd been through hell and back. He didn't know what he'd do without Cressida. She was his everything. If he lost her, it'd be just like loosing his mom all over again. The first time was worse enough; he could only imagine how base the second time would be. He would probably die, he wouldn't see the beauty in anything else anymore. Cress was the only person who could make him see how good the world could actually be.

At the mention of the first time they met, Daniel couldn't help but laugh. "I was such an idiot back then." He said mostly to himself. He managed to have gotten the blood out of shirt somehow. He hates everyone and the world back then. How much he had changed just because of Cress. "Whatever you want to do. We can make it our day, take two." He said with a grin. He laid down with her. He couldn't help but look down at the small, blonde haired blue-eyed daughter of Zeus that had changed his life. "I love you too, Cressida Alazae Blain." He said back to her with no hesitation, repeating the three words he loved the most. And just like that, he fell asleep with Cress wrapped protectively in his arms.