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Dragging his new friends alongside him, Percy couldn't remember ever feeling so excited in his life. Yes, he had a dangerous mission ahead of him, and a couple hours ago he had almost died multiple times, but that could all wait. Right now, all he needed to focus on was making sure these two camps didn't kill each other on accident… or on purpose.

Looking over at Octavian's grim frown, he knew that he needed to keep an extra eye on that guy. Something about him just creeped him out. One thing was certain, he definitely preferred Rachel's crazy prophesies to that guy's constant murdering of stuffed animals.

"So how do you know Jason is on board?" Frank asked hesitantly.

Percy shrugged. "I don't."

"But they'll kill you if he isn't," Hazel eyes grew wide as she pulled away from Percy.

"Relax," Percy grinned, "I'm not sure he's on board, but I can't think of a single reason that he wouldn't be." Truth be told, he wasn't all that worried about Jason being on board. The only person that he was concerned about was the one he had remembered ever since he had woken up. What if she wasn't there? What if she had chosen not to come? What if she was mad at him? Percy winced slightly; he didn't need to wonder if she was mad at him. He was sure she would be.

Hazel and Frank were both nodding at him, but stopped and stared in silence at the huge ship came closer and closer. In fact, Percy noticed that everyone had gone dead silent in awe of this machine. Percy remembered glimpsing it before when Leo had messaged him, but it was just so much more seeing it in person.

The landing wasn't pretty. In fact, the impact of the ship's front hitting the ground was enough to cause the whole thing to rebound sharply and leave a massive ditch in its wake. Percy winced knowing that such a landing had to be jarring and only hoped that no one got hurt in it. Looking around, he was obviously not the only one who thought so. Then again, these were demigods he was talking about. With practically the whole camp surrounding the foreign vassal, Percy hoped not only for his own sake that Jason was on board.

"Sorry about that!" a voice yelled from aboard. "This baby was meant to fly, not to land."

Percy noticed several people grinning slightly and shaking their heads. Perhaps luck was on his side.

"Shut up Leo!" was suddenly heard, alongside a clanking noise as if something had been thrown and hit something. Immediately, the entirety of the camp reached for their weapons or stiffened as if on guard. Or perhaps it wasn't his lucky day, Percy frowned.

That was when a small rope ladder was thrown over the side of the ship and the first figure appeared. Percy could not make out exactly who it was, but it was definitely a male. As he descended down the ladder features came into view, such as his blond hair, and whispers began to flare up all over Camp Jupiter.

Percy did not need to personally know the guy who was on the ladder in order to know who he was. He couldn't help but let a sigh of relief out, "Jason."

He didn't know who started it, though he suspected Hazel, but next thing he knew the whole camp was clapping, quickly followed by cheering and yelling. Judging by Jason's grin, he was home. Everyone was keeping their distance, but it was clear that they were ready to congratulate Jason on his return and they only kept back because it was the organized Roman way. Only Reyna stepped forward, relief obvious in her eyes along with a little something else.

Everyone silenced as she brought up her hands in clear authority. "Welcome back Jason Grace!" she proclaimed which was swiftly responded with even more shouts and cheers. One glace back and Percy saw dozens of demigods jumping up and down with excitement, cupping their hands around their mouths to give whoops of delight, and even Hazel was hugging Frank with slight tears in her eyes. One thing was for certain, today was a victory for Camp Jupiter.

Suddenly, everyone was going quiet again and Percy looked back forward to find that now Jason was holding up his hands trying to quiet everyone down before speaking.

He looked around, smiling at all and even going as far as to wink at Hazel who was grinning back, still with Frank's arms wrapped around her tiny frame. He paused for a split second on Percy and their eyes met with slight confusion from Jason's, but obviously not displeasure at seeing someone else in his praetor toga. Percy could have sworn that he saw the guy shrug almost as if he had been expecting it.

"I bring friends with me who are not unlike me or you and ask that you treat them just as you treat an old friend." There was no hesitation. Everyone was cheering again and Percy was grinning. This was turning out better than expected. That's when Percy noticed the pointing.

"Percy," Frank yelled, "which one is Annabeth?" He was obviously teasing, but Percy honestly didn't care. Looking up at the ship he saw quite a few people on board, waving and generally waiting their turn to begin to descend down the same ladder that Jason had just came down. In fact, looking at the ladder, it seemed that a few people were already descending and one had just landed on solid ground again.

For a moment, Percy felt as if he couldn't breathe. He assumed, if he was capable of drowning, this is what it might feel like. She was exactly like he remembered. "Annabeth."

He let his feet take him forward not even noticing as people started shouting at him to get back and to keep formation. She turned around, eyes searching for something, for someone. Her eyes started at one end and scanned the crowd almost jumping over him as he wasn't a part of the mob, but then she quickly jumped back to him. Her stormy gray eyes never wavered from his as she began to walk forward ever so slightly.

He didn't even realize that the crowd had gone silent once again. After all, this was Percy Jackson, son of Neptune who had only came to camp 4 days ago, and was already their hero, their leader, their praetor… their savior. If he was reacting this way just because of one girl, something had to be important about her. He wondered if her stomach hurt just like his was now. She looked confused, almost as if she didn't know what to feel about the situation. He saw hurt, love, confusion, fury, embarrassment and so many other features cross her face that for a moment he faltered.

That seemed to make her make up her mind on what emotion to settle on: anger. Percy did not even have to take a step as she quickly stormed up to him and stopped mere feet from where he was. Rage had obviously caused her march forward, but now up close, he only saw hesitance. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. In fact, when he closed it and opened it again only to make a slight whine, she only sighed and looked down, so that he could no longer see her reaction.

"I should be pissed at you, you know," he watched as her hands clenched by her sides obviously taking all of her self control not to unsheathe the knife that hung at her side. "Then again, I suppose you don't know why I should be so mad." She lightly laughed to herself, though he knew she found no humor in the situation.

"I disappeared for 8 months," he suddenly spoke, not even realizing it was himself until the words had already popped out. Her head whipped up and Percy was surprised to find this girl, the girl who he could never forget, the girl who was always there for him, the girl who he had trusted with his one weak spot, looked worried. She was hopeful, he could tell, but concern and disappointment were obviously her primary emotions. "I left you for 8 months."

"How much do you remember?" she quickly asked.

"Almost everything," he started staring her right back in the eyes. "Except you Wise Girl," her eyes widened. Stepping forward, Percy reached hesitantly for Annabeth's hand. He was taller now, he realized as he had to look down a bit more to continue to stare her in the eyes. She was definitely surprised and obviously didn't know how to act. He wouldn't put it past her to hit by this point honestly.

"From the moment I woke up, I could remember your face," he paused feeling as if his heart was going into overdrive with her hand finally in his once again. "Annabeth."

Her reaction was instantaneous. "Oh Percy, you big Seaweed Brain!" and her hand ripped away from his own. He prepared for the worst, after all, he no longer had the mark of Achilles, and he knew better than anyone else how bad a hit from Annabeth could be.

Therefore, he was pleasantly surprised when he felt her arms wrap around his neck and pull him down so hard that he almost stumbled before finding her lips on his own. Knowing better than to argue with his girlfriend, Percy quickly reciprocated the action wrapping his own arms around her waist and pulling her against him as he kissed he back.

Cheering seemed to be the theme of the day as everyone began hollering once more. But Percy couldn't find it in himself to care or even notice. All he knew was Jason may be home, but he felt more at home holding Annabeth once again, than he had in a very long time.


I haven't written in a very long time so I really enjoyed writing this. Any and all feedback is wonderful.