Hecate here! Alright, so the idiot that writes too much over here persists to believe that many characters are underloved or underappreciated for what they do and since she has access to Microsoft Word and the Internet, she's going to try to fix it.
Sort of long, but Sally's story is long.
And this one is pretty complete, so you know... The Son of Neptune minor spoilor alert, huge one if you're not into Heroes of Olympus yet. If you are; cinnamon for you, and enjoy.
Disclaimer: Well, if I was Rick Riordan I'd know Sally's whole story, now wouldn't I?
Sally tilted her head, offering her neck and face to the sun. She was so glad the girls had convinced her to take this trip. What, with having to start college, save up for that, an apartment, work for money and everything else on her to-do-to-fix-life list, she hadn't been sure she should come. That she should spend the money on renting a cabin with the girls. Logically; Sally should spend the summer finding a way to rebuild what she had before Uncle Rich went terminal. And he'd needed her to drop everything, everything she'd worked to get- no thanks to him- so she could go take care of him. Spend the summer finding a way to get her life back…
But here she was; with Angela, who could make her laugh so much her sides hurt and who knew exactly what to do when and where to be for the best parties, Rose who was a total girl and a horrible flirt, and Gen, who was forever her best friend.
The waves were rolling onto the beach, washing out sand castles that children had half-destroyed anyways and tickling ankles, and then retreating back to the ocean. Sally looked up at it, a hand up to protect her eyes from the sun.
People were tanning, playing in the sand, splashing around the icy cold classic-Montauk water…
One man was walking down the beach. He could've been any other of the guys hanging out at the beach or renting the cabins to the left side of the beach, that Angela and Rose talked about again and again. But he stood out to Sally.
His hair was thick black and his eyes sparkled green. He was well tanned, like he hadn't just gotten to the beach, and he was well fit. Sally had to admit that he wasn't half bad looking, but that wasn't why she was staring in the first place- it was what he had in his hands. At first Sally thought it was a giant fork that glowed.
No, it's always something that already exists...
Okay; 3 picks, long… A trident? What was he doing carrying a trident? Didn't you need, like, a licence for that or something? Even then- was it legal?
She turned to look at her friends, who were talking like there was no problem. Nobody else on the beach seemed to notice.
Sally sighed. One of those times…
"So what do you think Sal?" Angela asked.
"Sorry, what?" She said turning back to them.
"Do you think we should hit that party at the blond volleyball player's house tonight?" Rose asked. "I'm pretty sure he wouldn't mind me showing up." Sally laughed nervously.
"They never do. And I agree with –umm- yeah. Sure. Sounds like fun."
"Will be fun." Rose corrected.
Sally got up and tied a piece of fabric at her waist. Gen had brought it back to her from Tanzania- purplish, pink and yellow shades with a fringe, with dolphin and shell and seaweed patterns in purple.
"I'll be right back." She said. She walked down the beach, her feet sinking into the sand. Wow I am insane, was all she could think but until this point, she'd put it off on working too hard, on not getting the sleep she should, and on a million other things.
But this time, on this beach, she was finally going to ask.
"Excuse me." Sally said. The guy turned to look at her and Sally felt like saying 'never mind, thought you were somebody else, bye!' and running in the opposite direction. His eyes were brighter than she'd thought, and intense.
"Yes?" He said.
"Umm… I was just wondering about the trident in your hands." He frowned. "It is a trident, right?"
"Who are you?" He asked.
"Sally Jackson." Sally said, "And you?" He seemed to be running her name in his mind trying to make it fit with someone he might have heard of before- like his in-law's nephew's son or something- before saying;
"You're right about the trident; that's what it is."
"Why doesn't anybody see it, then?" Sally countered.
"They do see it. Just not as it is."
"What do you mean?" Sally said running possibilities through her head. Camouflaging techniques, spy technology, optical illusions of sorts, brain waves- stop it Sally half of those are completely unlikely…
"It's complicated."
"I'm a smart girl; pretty sure I can handle it." Sally said. He smiled.
"It's not that kind of complicated."
"I've got all day for long stories," Sally said. "Please- since I'm little I've got no idea what's going on. Monsters and weapons and everything- and I know I'm not imagining it, so if there's someone out there who can tell me what's happening to me…"
"Nothing," he said. "You're right; you're perfectly sane and it's not one big hallucination. Actually, it's one big hallucination for the people who aren't like you."
"Aren't like me?"
"Who can't see through the veil that hides what things are. It's called the mist. So example, the guy throwing chips to the seagulls thinks I'm holding a baseball bat."
"Doesn't that get really complicated? Like, if you're going to get groceries or take money from the bank; not one clerk calls 911 and gets the building in lockdown?" I said. He laughed.
"I don't do grocery stores. That's one reason, I guess." He said.
"No but seriously- why do you risk it?"
"I like tridents. I rarely leave it anywhere."
"Dare I ask why?"
"It's what people recognise me by." He said.
"I thought that was, like, King Triton or something."
"Close. It was actually Poseidon."
"Greek god, right?" Sally checked. "Sorry, I've spent a lot of time away from my books and school, my memory's slipped. My memory's been everywhere but in my head actually."
"God of the ocean and earthquakes. You're in college?" Sally sighed and ran a hand through tangled brown hair.
"Was in college. It's a long story, even longer than your Mist story. About that, what makes it so that you and I know that you're holding a trident, but the rest of them don't?"
"You- I don't know. Nobody knows, some people are just born that way. And me- that's a lot more complicated."
"I'm a smart girl." Sally countered. The guy smiled.
"My name's Poseidon." He said.
"You're named after a Greek god?" Sally asked.
"It's… It's sort of the opposite way around." Sally blinked and her eyes widened.
"Are you trying to tell me that-?"
"Yes I am, but please, don't scream it out to the world. They'd think you're insane."
"Oh, I must be insane." Sally said bringing her hands up to her temple. "Are you serious? You're not making it up; you're not messing with my head or…"
"Watch," Poseidon locked eyes on a white boat streaming across the ocean towards a nearby dock, and Sally saw his wrist flick. The waves immediately changed direction, rolling away from the beach, back into the Atlantic as if drawn by a magnet, and the boat was pushed back, even with the motor still roaring. People gasped and jumped to their feet to look. A few cameras appeared, fingers jolted up, and Sally turned back to the man- to Poseidon.
The tide had just been reversed.
"That's it? All these years, that's what I've been seeing?"
"Yes." He said.
"Those kids running around with swords that I see downtown, the huge black dogs, the trees with faces that melt in and out…"
"Those are called demigods- today's version of Perseus and Heracles and Theseus-, the dogs aren't dogs they're hellhounds and the last are dryads. Wood nymphs. They're not very discreet."
"Oh," Sally's voice was weak. "So… You're not the only god? You're not like 'sole survivor of apocalypse' or the one thing the Greeks got right?"
"No, we're all still here. Unless I'm missing something. I wouldn't know, I don't stick around Olympus much." Poseidon said. He seemed to evaluate Sally, wondering if he'd said too much and how she was taking it. She took a deep breath.
"Look, I know you've still got a lot of questions, and I will help you- but I've got to go now."
"Chain some guy to a rock with a bird after his liver." Sally said nervously.
"That wasn't me!" Poseidon said, "That was Zeus!"
"Zeus… Oh gosh, he's real too." Sally said.
"Of course he is- sadly. It'd be so much easier to do anything without him. And it's actually just a council meeting, for the summer solstice. I'm sort of bailing on the celebrations right now."
"Okay, look, after your meeting or council session or whatever you call it; go to the party down the beach. The cottage near the volleyball net, everyone will be there, I bet. I'm getting dragged by friends, so find me if you can. I have more questions and you're probably the only person I'll ever meet that'll ever have answers."
"Okay, I promise I'll try." Poseidon said. Then he disappeared right in front of her, like a teleporter, but Sally probably thought that nobody would even notice. The –oh, whatchamacallit- the missed? Or was it spelt mist..? One more question for the god of the sea- if he came back.
Sally made virtually no noise. She crept from the bathroom at the far end of the cabin, through the rest of the cabin which meant passing Angela, Rose and Gen who were all three sleeping in the one room of the cabin. She didn't noticed that Gen's sleeping bag was empty.
The light flicked on.
"Where do you think you're going?" Gen asked, standing in the kitchenette area.
"Me?" Sally asked.
"No Angela. Sally, who else do you see up, dressed and about?"
"You."
"Well, I'm awake now." Angela said groaning. She flipped onto her stomach to bury her face in the pillow. "Why do you freaks get up at weird times? Why do I bunk with you? Why do I keep doing this to myself?"
She went on moaning on her pillow.
"So Sal, where are you going?" Gen asked.
"Umm- a beach party." She felt like slapping herself.
"Party? Hey I didn't hear about that one…" Angela said, propping herself on her elbows.
"Not here, so you didn't hear about- umm…" Sally felt like slapping herself twice.
"Not on this beach? How are you planning on landing yourself on another beach Miss I-don't-have-my-driver's-liscence-because-lessons-take-too-much-time?"
"Oh my gosh a boy is going to pick up Sally and take her to a beach party!" Rose said, bolting up.
"Since when are you awake?" Sally said. But it was too late, the fire had caught and Angela and Gen were in it.
"Oh my god- who is it Sal?"
"But you're supposed to marry Rose's brother Ben!"
"What?" Sally asked.
"My dreams are crap." Angela said dropping back into her pillow.
"Why didn't you tell us, I could've lent you stuff!"
"Don't listen to her Sal, you look great!" Gen said.
"You go girl, finally!"
"You guys aren't mad?" Sally asked, looking like she expected to be hit. Gen put a hand on her shoulders.
"Sally, you're the kid who used to not do her homework because she was helping me glue together a model pyramid made from popsicle sticks that we'd just made ourselves sick eating. Skipped school to look for hysterical just-dumped Rose around the City. Got in detention just to keep Angela company, and dropped out of college to help an uncle who –no offence- didn't care much about you. You've spent your whole life living it for someone else- so by all means, go!" She said.
Sally smiled that bright smile she got only when you'd made her day, and there was a tiny knock on the door.
"Is that him?" Angela said leaning for the window.
"I'm out!" Rose said running to the bathroom.
"Are you kidding? I want to meet this dude!" Angela sighed. Sally opened the door and Poseidon stood looking uncertain about what was going on.
"Hello Sally." He said.
"Hey," she said. She kissed him on the cheek, momentarily forgetting that Angela and Gen were still there.
"Umm, these are my friends Angela and Gen." She said, motioning towards the lighted cabin.
"And Rose," Gen said as Rose peaked from the other room.
"Yes, Rose too. Guys, this is Poseidon."
"Poseidon? Like Greek god Poseidon?" Gen said cocking her head. She read as much as Sally did.
"Everyone says that at first. It's just a nickname." Poseidon said.
"He's a great surfer." Sally said. Poseidon gave her a look like 'ha ha'.
"It's nice to meet you." He said.
"Pleasure is ours- thanks for proving to us that Sally is capable of independent self-help." Angela said.
"Hey!" Sally said. Angela shrugged.
"Pure truth, honey, I'm sorry." She said.
"You do tend to do everything you can for everyone who needs it, in her defence." Poseidon said.
"See, even the surfer knows. Okay, well, have fun." Angela said before collapsing back on her pillow.
"See you, Sally."
"Bye." Gen said easing the door closed. Poseidon and Sally walked away, hand in hand.
"What exactly did you tell them about me?" Poseidon asked.
"Not much. Nothing actually. Gen caught me. I didn't want them to freak- which they did."
"I can only imagine. They seem nice."
"Oh gods- the fun we've had on this beach over the last week… It's exactly what I needed, just some time at the beach. Speaking of which, you never mentioned which beach." Sally said.
"Well, there's this nice one in Australia with killer waves, or one in Greece that'll have you staring out for hours before you remember your name. Not literally, but…"
"Australia? Greece?" Sally chocked, amazed. "You're kidding?"
"'Course not. Common, I'll show you the world, Sally Jackson. Or at least the nice part of it."
"Done." She said kissing his cheek.
Rose, Angela and Gen scurried around the cabin, tracking the left flip-flop, that pair of short shorts that Angela borrowed and never returned or the toothbrush that really should still be in the bathroom.
Only Sally didn't go about. She sat on her bed, twisting her hands together and starring down on them.
"Sally, what's up?" Gen asked sitting down next to her. "You're not spazzing around about toothbrushes and socks."
"I… I was just thinking that I should… Well, this beach…"
"Sally stop the mumbling just say it." Angela said, taking the first chance she had to stop packing. She sat down on the bed opposite to Sally's.
"I… I want to stay here."
"You what?"
"I want to stay here."
"Yeah but Sally, Angela's got work and I've got a plane that leaves for Kenya in a week." Gen said.
"You don't have to stay with me," Sally said. "I just don't want to leave the beach."
"Is this about Poseidon?" Rose asked from the kitchenette room. Sally mouthed 'how does she do that?' to Angela, but Angela was caught up.
"Aww! We knew you must really be into him when you tried surfing for him –which I'd have paid money to see- but aww!"
"Sure Sally, you can keep renting this cabin if that's what you want." Rose said.
"Even if you didn't want to pay a quarter of the price at the beginning, but I guess you've got extra motivation now." Gen said. "You're sure, Sally?"
"I'll stay until semester starts. I mean, who cares if I lose another 4 hours of sleep working another job, right?" Sally asked. Gen coughed 'we do', but she didn't say anything more. Sally had been happier these last two weeks, with her girlfriends and a new guy-friend that was now a boyfriend even if neither of them would be caught dead saying it… They'd all had fun, hence they'd kept the cabin for a week longer, but Sally had taken the prize after a miserable last year. And now she should get the bonus.
Percy safely tucked into a baby slip; she struggled to drag a folded stroller up the stairs of the subway station. It was late at night, a time Sally tried to avoid New York City's outside, and even more so with Percy around.
She paused in the middle of the staircase, exhausted and frustrated and stressed with everything from bills to monsters to keeping Percy asleep. She blew her bangs out of her forehead. A little help now would be much appreciated, but she knew that wouldn't happen. Not with Gen out of town, anyways.
He came out of basically nowhere, snatching the stroller from her and charging down the stairs. He bumped Sally in the shoulder and she tumbled down, her reflexes just quick enough to cover Percy with one arm and extend the other to break the fall.
CRACK!
Her wrist didn't appreciate it and she winced in pain, giving out a little cry. She looked around for help, but there was nobody. The figure in black loomed over her.
"Give me your wallet, lady." He said menacingly, holding up the stroller like a baseball bat. Percy started crying and Sally just groaned.
"Shh… It's okay Percy, its okay; please sleep, please, please sleep…" She said stroking his head, covered in wispy black hair. He didn't.
"I'm waiting!" He said.
"I don't, I don't have it, please…" She stuttered.
"Don't play games, give it to me." He grabbed her purse, tugging her arm as he did so painfully, pulling on her wrist. She winced again and the guy ran away. Percy started crying louder, and Sally just groaned. She tilted her hair back, ready to cry. It'd been long enough of a day without this happening on top of everything.
Suddenly the guy came back into view. Some other guy was shoving him, but Sally smelt the newcomer before she saw him.
"You stole some lady, I'm guessing. You jerk." He said shoving him so hard he fell to the floor. Sally scrambled to her feet and the new guy noticed her.
"Did he just steal this from you?" The guy said ripping Sally's bag from the thief's hands.
"Oh my gosh… Yes." She said. The guy turned back and lowered the bag.
"You total jerk- you're even shallower than I thought, Maxwell." He walked back to Sally.
"Thank you," she said taking it, "Thank you so much."
"No problem. But you shouldn't be here alone with a kid, not in this part of town."
"I know, I'm usually not... Usually I've got…"
"Your husband, boyfriend or whatever around?" Sally's chest went tight.
"No. My friend Gen."
"Don't come back again, they're everywhere." The guy said pointing to the thief called Maxwell. "I'll walk you to your place. You know, for your sake."
"That's very kind of you Mr…"
"Gabe," he said.
During the whole walk to her apartment building, Sally noticed that the monsters walked right past her and Percy. She'd never seen so many around, but none of them seemed to catch his scent. Even a few month old child of Poseidon would have a scent, she knew that much. They probably didn't smell him over Gabe, he smelt horrible, even Sally acknowledged it.
Wait a minute, maybe that wasn't such a joke of a thought… She stared at a hellhound who walked at her left, the fur touching her arm.
Maybe it made sense.
"Sally," someone called, "When's the rat coming home?"
"I can't hear you, honey." She called from the kitchen, rolling out cookie dough. Gabe strolled into the kitchen liked he had all the time in the world –which he had considering he did nothing- and leaned on the fridge
"When's the rat coming home from school?"
"His name's Percy." Sally snapped. Her wrist was grabbed, she was spun around and wasn't sure what the worst sight was; Gabe's face, or his raised hand, with the muscles in his arm twitching.
"What was that?" He asked.
"I said…" Sally shrunk back afraid, very afraid, because Gabe's hand was raised. "I said that my son's name is Percy." Gabe's hand prepared to rush down and stop only when it hit flesh, so Sally added quickly,
"3:45, dear." She managed, nearly chocking on the most insincere 'dear' yet. They were more insincere by the day.
"Alright. You're going to pick him up? 'Cause it's not gonna be me."
"Of course. Dear." She added.
As if I'd let you ever be alone with Percy, she thought.
Then she looked at the apartment- a mess like no other. One weekend at Montauk with her son, one weekend for the sake of deflating and reenergising herself for this, and the place became Gabe-land. She closed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair, reconsidering her options. And she'd wanted to make cookies for Percy's school bake sale…
She grabbed the phone and dialled a number, her thumb remembering the exact buttons to go to.
"Gen? It's Sally. I need a favour- can you pick up Percy for me? Oh gosh- I love you Gen, you're a lifesaver…"
The house was slightly better, which was enhanced by the smell of freshly baked cookies, when the door opened. She heard the hinges and smiled, but then she heard sobbing. She frowned and rushed to the front door.
Gen, willowy Gen with red hair pinned up on the back of her head, wearing a trench coat over jeans and a loose blue top, was holding Percy close to her leg, rubbing his hair.
"Oh gosh, Percy what's wrong?" Sally said, she scooped him off his feet and he buried his face in her shoulder. She turned to Gen for details when Gabe rounded the corner.
"Ever knock?" Gabe snarled.
"Ever shower?" Gen could not take Gabe. Well, neither could Sally, but Gen couldn't hide it.
"You-"
"Gabe, why don't you go back to your poker game? I'll handle this." She said with a smile, when all she wanted was to make Percy smile again- he had the most sincere smile- instead of dealing with sluggish Gabe. He sniffed.
"Whatever but shut the kid up."
Kid, she though, an improvement on rat...
"Yes dear." He turned back, grabbing a new can of beer on the way, and Sally put Percy back down to look him in the eyes.
"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" She asked him. He looked up at her with sad green eyes.
"They're going to expel me again." He sniffed.
"What? Oh honey, of course not… Don't you worry about that. Here, come here." She said picking him up. Gen followed her to the kitchen. She sat Percy down on the counter, and kissed him on the forehead. She turned to Gen, who shrugged.
"The kids were making fun of him because he had trouble in reading that morning. It ended in a fight, I think." Sally took a deep breath. That would be the dyslexia… Undiagnosed but present from the very first time he got an English book in his hands. Just like Poseidon said he would…
Sally took a cookie form the tray and handed it to Percy, the chocolate chips still melting just like he loved them, even if the inside of his mouth burnt.
"Everything's gonna be okay, sweetheart." She said, tilting his chin upwards. He nodded and Sally turned to Gen to offer cookies, but Gen was already munching on one. Sally smiled for half a second and grabbed one herself. Percy hopped off the counter and scampered off to his room, where his toys were waiting for him.
"It's the dyslexia, isn't it?" Gen said as soon as Percy was out of ear's reach. She was the only person Sally had ever told about Percy- the only person she'd trusted enough not to call her insane, call the cops, tell her off, or put Percy in danger. Not even Angela and Rose, definitely not Gabe- just Gen.
Sally nodded.
"I'm pretty sure it is. Or the ADHD… Oh, it'd be much simpler if Poseidon were here…" Sally said.
"Sally sweetie, he's not coming back, and you both decided that. He was honest with you." Gen said comfortingly.
"I don't want him back for me. It's over, and I've dealt with that, I just need someone to tell me that I'm doing the right thing for Percy, that I'm not missing some simple thing like 'spoonful of sugar and he loses his scent for an hour' or something."
"That's why I'm here, Sal." Gen said. She smiled and Sally felt herself calm down. "And either way- I don't blame you. I mean, really. You get to meet Poseidon- who's a great guy, even if I talked to him about 3 times-, and now you deal with that, sitting in its own filth and playing poker. You don't deserve that."
"You know why, Gen." Sally said.
"Yes, but it can't be worth it." Gen said.
"If it keeps Percy safe, anything is worth it." Sally said.
She wanted to tell Gen about the hand. How she knew every twitch of his muscles now. But then Gen would lose it, call the cops on Gabe and she'd lose him- the only way she had of keeping Percy safe. Anything is worth it.
It was late, her eyes were tired, her body was tired, and Gabe was going to tell her to close the computer any second now. Sally typed into the Google homepage, fast.
"Greek myth creatures," and clicked on 'enter'. The mouse hovered over the results and she found the link she always fell back on. She clicked on the link for the page on creatures and scrolled through until she found a potted vase with a picture similar. She clicked on it and read through the paragraph quickly. "Griffon," she muttered. She opened a blue notebook and flipped open to a new page.
Panther body
Sleek and black fur like volcanic rock
Definitely feline. Movements like a lion, just as threatening and looming.
Wings and head of an eagle- same wingspan as Pegasi except sharper beatings.
Eagle head- sharp beak like scissors ready to shut.
Eyes glowed blood-red like lava.
Talons- sharp as if they were polished.
According to site: guard treasure (count as possible distraction- stupid ring should be first object thrown)
Neighbouring tribe that thought them for treasure (haven't seen them yet)
Links with Dionysus and Apollo- haven't felt a godly presence, definitely not Dionysus, besides it was cloudy
Observations: Always in packs, never alone, if there's one; beware. No fighting
Most of her notes ended that way. 'No fighting'. 'Outnumbered easily'. 'Overpowered'. It seemed so useless- that all she could do was take notes on what she saw and monitor how much closer they were coming. And it scared Sally so bad. Hercules had did this, it had taken three heroes to do that, this had been destroyed before the murder of this monster, that monster… It made her so afraid of what she saw after she looked them up and noted them.
But someday all of Sally's notes were going to happen. And it scared her so much she didn't hear Gabe's first round of 'shut the computer!'
Sally cringed when she saw the hellhound chasing after a van labeled 'Delphi Strawberry co.' down the street. It made an insane, action-movie turn and its tires screeched. Her hand immediately tightened around Percy's. The monster was enormous with black fur like a 3D shadow with fangs.
"Actually Percy, we'll get groceries later." She told him.
"Kay." He said. They turned around and bumped into a man with a hat pulled low over his eyes, but it tilted up when they bumped and Sally had to bite her lip not to gasp when she saw only one eye.
"Sorry sir," Sally said, quickly pulling Percy away. She looked across the street again, but she was so, so scared she turned to the sky. Vaguely equestrian figures circled the skyscrapers, beating enormous wings. The Pegasi had never scared her, but now that she thought of Percy ridding one of those one day… God- what if he fell, or got stroked down by lightning or something? It terrified her stiff. Most things did now.
The Winter Solstice, a day of darkness, Poseidon had told her so long ago. Percy had made it through 7 of them, and they each terrified Sally more than the next. Monsters seemed to pop up half as much; they walked amongst mortals and got dangerously close to Percy. Closer than she wanted them ever. She looked around nervously and saw a blond guy sitting at the wheel of a sports car, jamming out to his IPod. A little girl about 9 years old with auburn hair, archery equipment and a silver dress opened the door and sat down beside him, slapping his arm to get his attention. He jumped and his foot must've hit something, because the tip of a bow came into view. Sally looked away. Just look away, look away… Then she could pretend they weren't there- none of them, whatever they were.
Who was she kidding, she couldn't do that. Her baby would always be in danger, and nobody could tell her that he wouldn't, nobody could rid her of the anguish of the Winter Solstice day… She should've left Percy at home. No, not with Gabe… She should've just waited until the 22nd to go get groceries. She peaked back and the sports car was gone. She sighed and tried to calm herself down.
You live in a world of monsters, she thought, you know that…
But it was so much harder when the one whose hand she was holding, the only thing she had that really mattered, was bait for them…
He was twelve now. Chiron had called her- a satyr named Grover Underwood had found Percy.
Sally had played dumb. 'Greek gods? No way'. It was easier that way. It was easier to tell him she had no idea which god, that Percy had no special talents relating to the Olympians. She'd let Poseidon figure out where to take it from here.
Just as she'd let Percy fight.
"Sally!" Gabe called, "Now that you're home from work, make me some bean dip, will you?" Sally tried to control her breathing. After days in the Underworld and the anguish of knowing that Percy was out there with a sword made it that right now, the very last thing in the world she wanted to do was make some dang bean dip.
"Gabe, I'm busy." She said.
"Wait what? How are you busy?"
"Work. You should try it." Sally said. She clamped her hand to her mouth. No she had not just said that…
Gabe seemed to feel the exact same way when he planted himself in the doorframe to Percy's room.
"What was that?"
"Nothing." Sally said.
"You know, I was thinking-"
"Did it hurt?" This time she didn't cover her mouth but she freaked out just as much. What was she doing? No, shut your mouth Sally, shut your mouth…
Then again; if she was really a queen amongst mortals, if her boy had worn off mechanical spiders, hellhounds and war gods all on his own… Surely she could tackle this monster.
"You know what Gabe, I was thinking too. I think that for all the times you've made me make bean dip, work extra, endure you saying the most horrible things about my son, and hit me, I've deserved a little freedom. I think I've deserved a lot more than a little actually, so please leave." Sally said, surprised at her own words. She'd fantasized about saying this to him for years, about what word would go where, but this time it was completely real. She was acting like an action heroine, a girl in a book, someone strong and brave…
"What?" He roared. Sally didn't flinch. Percy had gone to hell and back for her- she could make the effort worth it.
"I want to divorce, I want to move out, and I want to never see you again. You know where the door is, bring your disgusting poker friends." Sally said very clearly. He blinked in surprise and smacked her on the cheek. Sally swatted his hand away and backed away from him.
"You're losing it woman," he said turning back.
"Actually, I'm winning it." Sally said as he left, completely ignoring her.
She sat back down on Percy's head and picked up a picture on his bedside. Both of them when he was 6, at Montauk. The little pastel cabin in the background, up to their ankles in the freezing water. Percy was holding a paper bag of blue sour gummy rings and Sally had her arms wrapped around his from behind. She was pretty sure a retired couple that lived down the beach had taken the picture- the Johnsons it was. The picture made her smile, the grey ocean, the cabin, the sand's color… She'd gotten her salvation there more than once, she'd gotten her moments of heaven and the moments which made her think of it. Maybe it was time for her to shine through in other places.
"Maybe I will keep the gorgon head…" She mused to herself.
Sally was completely lost in the NYU campus. Every hallways and building looked the exact same! She struggled to remember what the instructions were to get to her class. She stopped in front of a black bench a guy was sitting on. A big oak was planted next to it, the trees spread out like open arms. The light was artificial, of course, since it was an evening class after all. Some more people were walking past. Some of them 18-19, like Sally would've been if Uncle Rich wouldn't have gotten sick. Some others were like her, trying to catch up before it was too late. Most of them had coffee.
"Excuse me," she said walking up to the man on the black bench, "I'm lost. Can you tell me how to get to the writing seminar?" He turned to look at her. About her age, salt and pepper hair, bright eyes and he remembered her of someone famous but she couldn't put her finger to it.
"If I knew, I'd help you, but I'm just as lost."
"Oh," Sally said. "Well, never mind."
"I'm actually going to that class too," he said. "My name is Paul Blofis."
"Sally Jackson." She said shaking his hand. She glanced at the slip of paper she'd torn from the corner of her spiral notebook.
"Okay, do you know where this building is?" She showed him the spare paper.
"Yeah, I passed it about four times trying to figure out where to go." Paul said. Sally laughed.
"I think we can find the seminar if we get there." She said. They got lost again, but they got to the seminar. Sure, they were the last thing to come in before the professor, but they'd made it.
And it seemed that every day they were always back at the exact same spot, at that bench, in the shade of that big tree. Sometimes Sally would sit down chewing a pen and trying to describe how the tree's branches curved, or how the leaves were all different in some tiny detail about them, or try to figure out just how old that tree was, waiting for Paul to show up. Sometimes Paul would grade tests there until Sally got there. They both knew the campus great at this point, but for some reason, some reason, they always went back to that tree, that bench, that meeting spot.
Sally was trying really hard what to freak but the universe's powers weren't helping her.
First; god in the apartment. She could mildly cope with that, but Poseidon? With Paul right there? Of course the sea god was pretty subtle about it. Said hi, talked nicely with Paul, and then swept Percy away and disappeared. That last part wasn't as subtle but Percy was getting the hang of lying about demigod stuff. If not, Sally had mastered it by now.
And then Percy showed up with his friend Nico di Angelo- and last time Sally had heard about Nico he was recovering from trying to kill Percy and mourning his sister and moving around on his own. Sally hadn't thought Nico was so young! He couldn't be 11 and roaming the earth on his own! That was too dangerous!
And other from Sally's outrage at the fact Nico was so poorly taken care of (Chiron! She'd trusted that centaur!) and her inner struggle with calming down the internal-motherly voice yelling, there was the issue of explaining to Paul why the fire escape near Percy's room was more popular than the front door.
Again, they managed that, but it worried Sally.
"Are you okay?" Paul asked, putting a hand on hers. She was leaning over the kitchen sink, watching the water left over from the dishes form a funnel and evacuate the sink.
"Me? Of course- I'm fine." Sally said.
"You look worried."
"Percy's just having a rough time, my baby's growing up- it's a long story, don't worry about it." Sally smiled.
"Percy's friend, Nico, how old is he? 11? What's he doing, going around on his own?"
"It's a long story." Sally said, "But he can take care of himself in the city. He's just spending the night because it's too late to go back."
"Okay…" Paul didn't look too convinced. "Okay. Speaking of late, I should get going too. Thanks for the cake Sally,"
"No problem, thanks for coming." Sally kissed him and walked him out. That's when there was a crashing sound.
"Mom?" Percy asked precautious. "Mom, was that lamp worth a lot?" Sally smiled and laughed to herself. Two demigod cousins and a Cyclops, all on cake, all inside her apartment. She should've seen it coming.
"No honey, its fine, just sweep up the bigger pieces." She yelled back.
A couple of years ago, Sally had worn a white gown but she'd been cursing herself for it the whole time. She'd been standing in the back of the church watching as people turned the corner and went down the aisle. She'd had Gen and Rose (because Angela wasn't a wedding person-only showed up at the reception) standing in front of her wearing matching dresses (except this time they had smiling faces, and Rose's daughter Cora was there too) and looking back at her, except now they seemed more confident that she would really say 'I do'.
In other words; she'd been married before.
She liked this one better. Probably because this time Sally was wearing the white dress for one person; herself. And this time she really wanted it, she wanted to have someone around that would love her, she wanted someone to love, and more importantly, she wanted it to be the man that was actually standing at the altar.
Gen smiled at Sally one last time, flashed a thumb up, and round the corner. Butterflies fluttered in Sally's stomach and the smile on her face pulled at her lips without her realising it. She'd have fun watching Percy figure out how to tie a tie, explaining to Paul why the cake had to be blue, and having the bridesmaids but in at every occasion, but say 'whatever you guys want' when they asked for advice.
But this was it. And she was glad it was. She was going to have the time of her life living it with Paul and Percy. Her small little family, but a small little family Sally Jackson loved with her whole hearth.
Sally Jackson-Blofis, that is.
Percy stood there covered in slime, with a foot over the body of a legged sea serpent that had crawled up on the beach at his feet and Riptide in his hand. He looked at her like 'help' and Paul looked at her like 'what?'
"Umm… Percy, what about you put the sword away, put the monster back in the ocean, and Paul, how about we go inside and…" She looked at Percy. It wasn't Sally's job to tell Paul about this world, it was Percy's. It was Percy who was dealing with the monsters, Percy who was struggling to keep his head above water, and it was Percy who was the key to this whole reality being in front of them. She looked at him.
"We'll explain things to you." Percy said. He met her eyes. "It's about time, isn't it?"
"Your choice sweetheart. But please put that thing back in the ocean," Sally said doing her best to look Percy in the eyes without seeing the monster too. I gave her shivers every time a monster just found Percy like that.
"In front of Paul?" He asked. Sally glanced at him.
"Oh, for the heck of it, I suppose." Sally said. Percy nodded. He closed his eyes and raised his hand. The tide acted up and reached up to the sea monster, sweeping it back into the ocean. A Neread popped up and made what was probably a very rude gesture for a nymph.
"Please?" Percy asked with an awkward smile. She sighed and nodded. She whistled and a few of her friends helped her drag the body deeper and away in the ocean.
"What just… The tide…" Paul stuttered.
"Do you want to know?" Sally asked.
"You don't,"
"I do." Paul said.
"You asked for it." Percy shrugged. He recapped Riptide and tucked it away in his pocket like it was just a normal pen.
"Common Paul, it's story time."
Percy had just left with Nico and Mrs. O'Leary. Sally was probably shaking like a leaf.
"Sally," Paul said reaching over the table to take her hand. "He'll be okay."
"How do you know, Paul?"
"Because he's Percy, and you're Sally. There have been rougher patches but you've always been okay." Sally took a deep breath.
"Paul, thank you. But the war Percy's going in… It's a repeat of something that was a bloodbath the gods still nightmare about. And he's going to lead forces into it. I'm proud of him, and I love him. I know that this isn't my fight, but it just…" Sally shivered. Paul put an arm around her.
"If history actually repeats; the commander of Olympus' forces lived, right?"
"Zeus is a god."
"And Percy is a demigod." Paul said. "He knows what he's doing."
Sally slammed her hand on the counter, making the doorman who was already yelling back at her jump.
"My son is up there! I think… I need to know if he's okay or not!"
"Look ma'am, lots of demigods, nobody knows exactly who's left and who's not."
"Find out! His name is Percy-"
The elevator dinged and Sally's heart was so light so suddenly she thought it might just float out of her.
When Sally came back from work, Percy and Annabeth were sitting in front of the TV, cuddled up, and watching a gladiator movie.
"Hey guys," Sally said putting down the grocery bags in the kitchen.
"Hey mom. Do you want help?" Percy asked.
"I'm fine sweetheart, you guys keep watching..? What movie is that?"
"Gladiator." Annabeth said.
"The one with the cute Maximus?"
"Yes." Annabeth said.
"Right here!" Percy said. Annabeth and Sally laughed.
"You're better looking, don't worry. Although he has the 'brains' part."
"I bet his girlfriend can shut up every now and then." Annabeth hit Percy in the arm, laughing.
Sally put away the groceries and she heard the two of them talking about the swordplay. How much they bought so or so move, how they had to try one out, how they probably couldn't work, or Annabeth calling out the gladiator's next move, Percy telling her to stop that, her replying that it was up to him to see things coming... It made Sally smile to hear them bicker, even if they'd been bickering for years.
Paul came back with a mountain of assignments to grade (to which Percy had no pity; 'just don't give us homework!'), and he went to work in the bedroom because the sounds of gladiator fighting wasn't working for him. Sally sat in the kitchen with the laptop and opened the Word Document with her story.
She paused and looked around the apartment, sunny with the fall sun. She listened to Percy and Annabeth and the movie, smelt the curry chicken cooking in the kitchen and she suddenly felt alright inside. Wasn't this what people wanted when they were older? Minus the danger, the indecision and the late factor- but that was Sally's little twist on it.
Yeah; this was finally alright. And every story had a twist. Right?
Sally pretended she wasn't there, for the benefit of Percy and Annabeth in the backseat- but they weren't talking much either. They'd caught up on school stuff, asked each other about the silence that had been driving Percy insane and making him edgy for the last month or so, some comfort was exchanged, some stories about the monster teachers of the last week or so (which Sally could have lived without hearing- one, Percy was fighting them, two, Paul was working with them- not sure which was worst). Anyways, now, they were quiet as they left New York behind and headed for Long Island.
Every now and then she'd glance quickly in the mirror and see their hands laced together, or how they looked so relaxed and calm even if they were two half-bloods in one place in New York…
She'd look back at the road and smile to herself.
Things had settled down for every Jackson.
"Sally, it's for you." Paul said, handing her the phone. She got up from the table and took the phone.
"Hello?"
"Sally…"
"Annabeth?"
"Yeah it's me."
"What's wrong? Have you been crying? What happened?"
"Sally its Percy."
"You broke up?"
"No it's worst Sally. I was so sure he was okay, and I, I just left him last night to go to my cabin and-"
"Annabeth, take a deep breath sweetheart, deep breath. Okay good. Good. Now tell me what's wrong." Sally asked, on the brim of a nervous breakdown, feeling nervous like a turkey on Thanksgiving.
"He's gone." Annabeth's voice was distressed and Sally felt like she was about to drop on a rollercoaster.
"Oh my god." Sally said.
"I don't know where he is." Annabeth said, "No one does and it's freaking everyone out. We've looked everywhere. We IM'ed Tyson at Poseidon's palace, there's a search party that's been in a forest, we're making Nico search the Underworld, the hunters are involved and everything!" Her voice cracked. Sally dropped the phone and Paul peeked into the kitchen when he heard the collision.
"Sally? Sally are you o-"
"They can't find Percy." She said feeling numb. "He could be anywhere with anybody. Anything could happen he's- no, no, no…"
"What do you mean 'they can't find Percy'?" Paul asked.
"Exactly that!" Sally said. "He's lost. He's… Oh my gosh…" Sally felt like she was cracking. An iceberg that cracked and chipped a bit at a time. Where was he? Wandering off was Percy behaviour, but not while at Camp…
Sally knew she'd just lost him.
Sally opened the door fairly quickly. She'd been edgy since Annabeth had called in the morning, to ask her at what time she finished work. Sally had guessed it was for a visit- an update on the Percy drama rattling across camp. She was doubtful that Percy was back- Annabeth would have said something- but still…
Sure enough, there was Annabeth with three demigods that she had never met. Never seen.
A Latino boy with a crazy smile, curly hair, a toolbelt around his waist and oil on his hands and jeans. A pretty girl that looked shy and quiet with chocolate brown hair and skin the colour of leather. A blond guy about 16 with sky blue eyes and a serious look on his face.
Never heard of once Annabeth introduced them. Although she immediately recognised Jason's last name.
They sat at the kitchen table and Annabeth took the reins on the explanation.
"Jason here popped up 3 days after Percy went missing. His memory was whipped clean, but after a quest, it's come back, and we think we know what's going on." She said.
Piper, Leo and Jason gave Sally the 5 minute version of the quest, and recalled every single line they were told perfectly.
"Long story short; we think Percy was sent to the Roman camp to tie the connection between Greek and Roman demigods." Annabeth said. Sally looked over Jason, then Annabeth, Leo, and Piper.
"What is this camp?"
"Well, that's the tricky part." Piper said. "Jason knows perfectly well, his memory's nearly perfect now. But he's honour-bound to keep secrets. So nobody Greek knows much."
"I'm sorry," Jason said. His eyes looked tortured like he was still struggling with some memories that hit close to home, and he sounded sincere. "I really, really am. I wish I could help you, and Camp, but I'm just…"
"Honour-bound. Respect that. It's part of who you are and don't you dare forget it," Sally told him. He looked relieved like he'd expected her to yell at him or something.
She leaned back in her chair and thought it over for a second. A whole other civilisation? That seemed like a big chunk of unknown. And a big patch of scary. Looking at Jason's serious face, the tattoo burnt into his arm, everything about him… It didn't look like anything that Percy could work with.
Nor had hell hounds or titans or anything actually.
She took a deep breath. He'd be okay.
"Well, I appreciate you telling me. Anybody want cookies? Goode is having a holiday bake sale, but I can spare a few." She said getting up.
Paul came home and Sally was standing in the kitchen, her head tipped and her weight on the counter. Paul saw that she was crying.
"Sally, what's wrong?" He asked carefully approaching her, putting an arm on her shoulder. Sally's hand closed around his, but she didn't stop crying. She just pushed a button on the phone. There was a BEEP and then Percy's voice from an odd number.
"…Mom. Hey, I'm alive. Hera put me to sleep for a while, and then she took my memory, and... Anyway, I'm okay. I'm sorry. I'm on a quest-" His voice faltered like he was thinking 'stupid why'd you say that?' like he often did when he tried to smooth down stories that couldn't be smoothed down. "I'll make it home. I promise. Love you."
Sally heard a train whistle as Percy hung up, which just got her wondering where he was going onboard a train.
"Sally," Paul said squeezing her hand. "He's alive."
"He's on a quest." She said. "Annabeth was right, he could die anytime! He called Paul! He called last night and if we'd have answered- we'd have talked to Percy!" She broke down again and Paul steered her to the kitchen table. She was more frustrated than sad, but crying felt good anyways.
Then she looked up.
What a cliff hanger for a story that she'd thought had gotten its happily ever after.
She thought back to Percy actually getting a B in science, he and Annabeth in the back of the car, watching a movie, arm wrestling with Paul, crabbing at Montauk… Was that not a happily ever after? Was that not when 'The End' happened?
Sally swallowed back tears.
This story wasn't over yet.