Percy had been away from home for just shy of a year. Granted, most of that time he was unconscious or had amnesia thanks to Hera being so 'helpful.' A few days after the war had ended completely, Percy decided he was ready to go home. He missed his mom. He missed Paul. Sure he'd been writing home with the help of Hedge occasionally, but he actually wanted to have a conversation with her. Annabeth asked if he wanted her to come along, but he decided to do it alone.

So here he was, walking around his hometown on his way back to his apartment. Nothing had really changed since he'd been gone; it was almost as though he had only been gone a few hours rather than eleven months.

He got back into his home with a simple click of the key. He hadn't been in correspondence with her since the war ended. He hadn't really had a chance. So, she didn't know he would be coming home. Right away, though, he knew she was there.

There was a great smell of homemade food that greeted him the moment he opened the door. Paul was right there when he opened it, he started to say something but Percy put a hand over his own mouth, I want to surprise mom. He mouthed. Paul nodded, a huge smile on his face. He walked into the kitchen and Percy could just barely hear him, "Sally. Can you come here a second?"

"Yeah, sure." Sally said, Percy could hear the questioning tone in her voice. "What did you need-"

Percy watched as his mom's eyes filled with tears of joy as she ran to him in slow motion and hugged him with all her might. "Percy! Oh my gods Percy! You're alive! You're okay!" She kissed him a few times on the cheek, still hugging him as though afraid that if she let go, he would disappear again. "I love you Percy. While you were away I couldn't stop thinking that maybe I had never said that enough to you."

Percy hugged back with so much happiness; he missed his mom more than he really vocalized to anyone. "I love you too mom. I really love you."

Paul stood back and watched the reunion before Percy pulled him into the hug as well, "I missed both of you so much."

"How long will you be staying home?" Sally asked, the hug lingering for a few more seconds before they all released.

"As long as I can." Percy smiled, "What's been going on since I left?"

Sally and Paul both told about what they did while Percy was missing, Percy explained all about his quest and everything had done. He skipped over Tartarus more or less, not really wanting to relieve those details that were still so fresh in his mind. Plus, that was a kind of worry he didn't want to put on his mom.

After he was done, Sally pulled him into another hug, "I'm so glad you came home to me. I just missed you. I knew you would come back, but I still worried. I love you."

"I'll always make my way back home, mom." Percy told her, "No matter what." He smiled into the hug, "I love you too."