Hunter stormed out of Arabella's apartment and got onto the elevator. He hit the button for the ground floor and collapsed. He sat down against the back of the elevator. He was done. He was finished with her. He was sick of being hurt and leaving only to run back into her arms. She expected him to be there only when she wanted him to be there. He was sick and tired of being runaround. "I save her life. I make her food. I do everything she ever wanted. What do I get in return?" He muttered to himself as the elevator opened on floor 12. A couple stood at the door and decided to wait for the next one. "The best few weeks of my life." He said quietly. He wanted to cry, but there were no tears left. He felt numb. Apathetic. Alone.
When the door opened, Hunter didn't move. He knew he should get up, but he couldn't muster the strength. He closed his eyes and thought for a second that he might die. He knew he was only falling asleep, but it felt like dying. If he did it wouldn't matter. Arabella was the only person he truly loved. He still did somewhere. She didn't feel the same way.
"You can't sit in there all day, Hunter." Hunter opened his eyes to see Tom looking into the elevator at him. "Well, you could, but you would probably have to start paying rent." He said with a chuckle. Hunter took a deep breath and stood up. He brushed off his pants and pushed past Tom and headed toward the exit. "Hunter, you all right?" Tom asked, walking in step with Hunter.
"Great." Hunter mumbled before pushing through the exit into the sprinkling outside. "Bye, Tom." He said with half a wave before walking toward his car. He got in and started the drive back to his house. As Hunter drove, he saw all of the ways that he could kill himself. He could run the red light in that busy intersection. He could drive off an overpass. He could drown himself. It felt all to close for him.
When he pulled up in front of his house, he lazily parked his car in the drive way and lazily walked into his house. He hadn't realized he was still wearing his tuxedo from the wedding. He took it off and dropped it in a pile on the bedroom floor. He slipped on a pair of athletic shorts and a plain white t-shirt before standing in the room. He looked around and the emotion started to build. He had envisioned this room to be a room that he could share with Arabella. That wasn't going to happen, now. He wasn't going to be sharing it with anyone anymore. Not after he joins the hunters again. He finally left the room and locked it behind him. He didn't want anyone or anything to go in there. Not even himself. It was too painful. It was a painful memory of what could have been. He climbed down the stairs and walked into the living room. He sat down on the couch. He didn't know at the time, but this was where he would be spending the next two days.
Hunter didn't move. He didn't eat. He didn't sleep. He sat there. Staring at the door. He heard the phone ring several times, but didn't pick up. Will or Kyle or Marina would call him. He didn't care. He didn't want to talk to anyone. Maybe that was what held him back as a hunter. He cared about people. That's what got him into this mess. If he hadn't made friends he wouldn't be here, right now. He would be in the woods somewhere, doing the only thing he ever actually enjoyed. After two days of nothing, he stood up. His legs were shaky and he had to sit back down after standing up once. He finally steeled himself and stood up. He walked to the bathroom and took a shower.
As the water washed over him, the only thing he could think about was Arabella. He was done and he knew that he meant nothing to her, but he couldn't help it. The happiest he had ever been was with her. He shook the thought away and stepped out of the shower. He slipped on a pair of jeans and a flannel plaid shirt. He tied up his shoes and walked out the door, locking it behind him.
It wasn't a long walk to camp from his house. He didn't want to drive. It reminded him of Arabella. He didn't want to take a cab. It reminded him of Arabella. He walked. He was about halfway there when it started to rain. He shrugged and kept walking. Maybe he would get hit by a car on the way there. He would be brought to the hospital and she would be called. Maybe she would show up and...Hunter shook his thoughts away and kept walking. He picked up the pace and in a little while he was passing Thalia's pine again. He took a deep breath and ran a hand over Peleus' head as he quietly slept. He walked down the hill and entered the bustling camp. He hid his face from those who he remembered. He didn't want to get reattached to anyone. If he was coming back, he was going to be emotionless. That's how he doesn't get hurt. He walked into the Big house and that's when it felt all too final. His stomach clenched. A lump started to form in his throat. His fists clenched in an attempt to calm himself down. He took a deep breath and stepped forward.
"Hunter, it's good to see you again." Chiron said with a calm smile. His expression changed when he saw Hunter's face. Hunter nodded.
"Likewise, sir." He said quietly before turning to Artemis.
"Hunter, are you ready to become a Hunter again?" She asked with a smile. Hunter closed his eyes and saw every moment of the past several weeks fly by. The warmth he felt from her body close to his. The softness of her skin. The taste of her lips. It flew by and the memories disappeared. He became numb. Hunter let a tear pour down his cheek as all emotion left him. He wiped it away and nodded.
"Yes, ma'am. I am." He replied, his voice cold and emotionless.